Europe offers a diverse and competitive arena for beverage brands, with its rich blend of old and new cultures straddling the continent. The region is renowned for its quality of life and strong healthcare systems, which deliver high levels of consumer trust.
In addition to the positive reputation of European products as a whole, government regulations are also seen as effective by consumers in many countries.
Here’s our roundup of the top beverage brands in Europe:
10. Volvic
Volvic is one of France’s most popular bottled waters and also part of Danone Group (the world’s largest yoghurt maker). It was launched in 1954 as ‘Vittel Volcanic Water’ but changed its name to ‘Volvic Natural Mineral Water’ when it became available outside Vittel. Today, Volvic sells around 4 million cases per year worldwide – mostly in Europe – making it one of the top 10 global brands for mineral water sales volume.
9. Perrier
Perrier is one of two brands of sparkling natural mineral water produced in Vergèze (near Montpellier) by Nestlé Waters France (the other being Vittel). It was first bottled there in 1859 when carbonated spring waters were becoming popular among Europeans seeking healthier alternatives to alcohol-based drinks like beer or wine during meals or at parties; however, it wasn’t until 1904 that Perrier began selling outside France after being purchased by Englishman Charles Nagotty who exported it to London where he opened his own bottling plant near Hyde Park Corner station called The Natural Mineral Water Company Ltd.
By 1914 sales had reached 1 million bottles per year but production was halted due to World War I before resuming again afterwards under new ownership: Société des Eaux Minérales de Vittel et de la Vallée de la Ganne – later renamed Établissements Pouchet & Fils then eventually Établissements Pouchet Frères SNCVF (now known as Source Perrier SA).
Today Nestlé Waters owns both brands worldwide except for North America where they are distributed exclusively through Coca-Cola Refreshment Ventures LLC., while PepsiCo Inc holds distribution rights for Canada only via their subsidiary Aquafina Canada ULC .
8. Anheuser-Busch InBev
The world’s largest beer company, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is the result of a series of mergers and acquisitions that have taken place over the last decade. The company has its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium and operates across Europe through a network of subsidiaries.
AB InBev brands include Stella Artois, Beck’s, Budweiser and Corona among others. It also owns a number of local breweries including Pilsner Urquell in the Czech Republic and Budejovicky Budvar Brewery in the Czech Republic.
7. Heineken
Heineken’s portfolio of beer brands is its main asset, with the firm having a market share of over 30% in most European markets. The company has added to its range through acquisition, including acquiring Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) for £7bn ($12bn) in 2008.
The purchase gave it significant exposure to emerging markets where it is now the second-largest brewer behind SABMiller after acquiring Harbin Brewery Co Ltd for over $1 billion.
It also gives Heineken access to premium beers such as Spitfire Premium Lager that are popular among eastern European consumers who demand Western quality products at affordable prices.
6. Danone
Danone has a strong portfolio of regional brands across a variety of packaged food categories – from dairy to biscuits and baby food – which makes it one of the biggest players on the continent for beverage products as well as non-alcoholic beverages: waters, juices and yoghurts among others.
It is active in over 100 countries worldwide. In Europe, it operates in 42 countries with a network of 64 production plants.
5. Red Bull GmbH
In 2016 alone Red Bull had sales revenues exceeding €7bn ($8bn) globally from both retail sales and licensing fees for use of their trademarked name/logo on other products such as clothing etc., making them one of the biggest beverage companies globally.
They have over 7,500 employees worldwide who work out of their offices located all over Europe.
4. Schweppes
Schweppes is a leading brand in Europe, with a market share of over 20%. The company has been owned by Coca-Cola since 2008. Schweppes’ portfolio includes carbonates and still drinks such as sparkling water, fruit juices, tea and coffee. It also produces alcoholic beverages including beer and cider under the name ‘Bass’. Schweppes continues to be the leading brand in carbonates, with a market share of over 30%.
3. Unilever
Unilever is the world’s second largest fast moving consumer goods company, with a diverse portfolio that includes 17 of the top 100 brands worldwide – including Hellmanns mayonnaise and Lipton Iced Tea.
Its soft drink products include Oasis fruit drinks, Robinsons squash and Orangina as well as its own brand of water in Europe – Volvic. Unilever has over 400 production plants across 79 countries worldwide
2. PepsiCo
Pepsico is the leading global food and beverage company, with a portfolio of 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. The company’s flagship brand, Pepsi-Cola, was created by Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina and first sold on May 8th 1893. Today it is one of the world’s most recognized consumer brands with products sold in over 200 countries around the globe.
PepsiCo has consistently performed well in Europe due to its strong portfolio of beverages and snacks such as 7UP, Mountain Dew, Doritos and Lay’s across many European countries.
1. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is the clear leader in Europe, thanks to its success with local brands and international products including Coke Zero, Diet Coke and Sprite. A recent study named it the world’s most valuable brand for a 13th consecutive year.
The soft drink giant dominates with a number of local brands including Coca-Cola light, Fanta and Sprite. It also offers its own version of popular energy drink to compete with Red Bull called Relentless.
Coke’s main challenger in Europe is PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew, which has faced problems maintaining market share as consumers seek healthier options in many regions. Both firms have launched new ranges aimed at Millennials – such as Pepsi Next Sugar Free (Pepsi) and Diet Coke Orange Vanilla (Coke).
That’s it for our roundup of the top beverage brands in Europe. We’re sure you’ll be familiar with most of the household names on the list already but hopefully it wlll give you further insight into Europe’s competitive FMCG market.