Cola, ice creams sell like hotcakes amid prolonged heatwave in India

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CocaCola said demand from in-home and out-of-home consumption have skyrocketed in the east, north, and central India.Anticipating a surge, the companies kept inventory ready and are ensuring that the products are available for consumers across retail platforms, including e-commerce."With temperatures soaring across the country, consumers are looking for refreshing and hydrating beverages to beat the heat this summer," a PepsiCo India spokesperson said.The company, which has beverage brands such as 7UP, Nimbooz, Pepsi, Slice, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, and Sting, is ensuring availability of its products during the surge."Further, given the surge in demand, we are ensuring that our products are available across all retail and e-commerce platforms, catering to both in-home and out-of-home demand, making it easier for everyone to stay cool and refreshed during the hottest months of the year," he said.Coca-Cola India said as the summer season reaches its peak, the Indian beverage market has gained significant momentum.The maker of Coke, ThumsUP, Maaza, Sprite, and Minute Maid has been witnessing consistent growth in terms of sales."With a steady rise in demand, we expect to remain bullish in our sparkling, hydration and juice segments, refreshing consumers with our carefully curated beverages for life portfolio," said a Coca-Cola India spokesperson."With a surge in both, in-home and out-of-home consumption, our endeavour is to continue scaling the distribution through traditional as well as newer emerging channels.Havmor Ice Cream -- now part of South Korean confectionery company LOTTE Wellfood Co -- said it has increased production as the demand for the year has surpassed last year's."Last year, we witnessed one of the warmest