ThaiBev introduces 100Plus in bid to grow soft drinks market share

The move marks the beginning of ThaiBev’s attack of Thailand’s non-alcoholic drinks segment—where it is currently weak—and specifically the US$1.4bn functional drinks market, which it will enter with 100Plus.

Thai Drinks, ThaiBev’s beverage management business, has been enlisted to take responsibility of the 100Plus marketing in the company’s bid to generate US$460m in sales of the sports drink over the next five years.

In the midst of a plan to increase the contribution of non-alcoholic beverage brands, which include Est carbonated soft drinks, Oishi green tea and NutriSoy soy milk, from the current 10% of ThaiBev's overall sales to 50% by 2020 with turnover reaching $10bn by that year.

100Plus has been available in Malaysia for 31 years and is currently the number one brand in the country with a 15% market share. It is now available in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and Myanmar, as well as Thailand, said Marut Buranasetkul, president and chief executive of Thai Drinks. 

Marut added that Thai Drinks and F&N plan to discuss distributing the functional drink in Europe by the middle of this year. 

According to Jesdakorn Ghosh, the Thai Drinks vice-president: “100Plus… will stimulate the expansion of the market, which is growing at about 4% a year.”