Mexico‘s exports of water and soft drinks have grown at double-digit rates in recent years.
With a year-on-year increase of 46.9%, these sales totaled 103 million dollars in the first two months of 2021.
At least since 2018, when they climbed at a rate of 21%, exports of water and soft drinks have remained dynamic.
In 2019, the growth rate was 14.5% and in 2020 it was 15.4%, with which these external sales totaled 593 million dollars, according to data from the Bank of Mexico.
By far, the United States is the main market for Mexico’s water and soft drink exports.
In general, the non-alcoholic beverage segment of the commercial beverage industry in the United States is highly competitive, consisting of numerous companies ranging from small or emerging to very large and well established.
These include companies that, like The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and PepsiCo, compete in multiple geographic areas, as well as businesses that operate primarily on a regional or local level.
Products include numerous non-alcoholic sodas; various water products, including flavored and improved waters; juices and nectars; fruit and dilutable drinks (including syrups and powdered drinks); coffees and teas; energy, sports, and other performance-enhancing drinks; milk and other dairy-based beverages; functional drinks, including vitamin-based products and relaxing drinks; and various other non-alcoholic beverages.
Exports of water and soft drinks
Other significant competitors include, but are not limited to, Nestlé S.A., Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., Groupe Danone, The Kraft Heinz Company, Suntory Beverage & Food Limited, and Unilever.
Of the total exports of water and soft drinks from Mexico in 2020, 82.8% went to the United States, followed by Colombia (3.4%), Guatemala and Chile (2.4%, each) and Ecuador (1.3%).
Companies are also competing, according to TCCC, against numerous regional and local companies and, increasingly, against smaller companies that are developing micro-brands and selling them directly to consumers through e-commerce retailers and other e-commerce platforms.
Also, in some markets, you are competing with retailers who have developed their own store or private label beverage brands.
On the contrary, Mexico imported water and soft drinks worth 144 million dollars in 2020, of which 129 million were supplied from the United States.
Among the bottlers in Mexico, Organización Cultiba, Coca-Cola FEMSA and Arca Continental stand out.
