Reliance Consumer Launches Sun Crush Juice in India, Intensifies Beverage Market Rivalry

Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL), has secured the India rights for the premium juice brand Sun Crush from Ceylon Beverage International, owned by former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The company has begun local production of Sun Crush, pricing it aggressively at ₹20 for a 200 ml bottle, positioning it as a direct competitor to established players like Dabur’s Real, ITC’s B Natural, Amul Tru, PepsiCo’s Tropicana, and Paperboat.

This launch marks Reliance’s second foray into the juice segment, following its acquisition of the local juice brand RasKik two years ago from Vikas Chawla, former managing director of Coca-Cola, South East Europe. Executives familiar with the development noted that Reliance is employing its proven pricing strategy—previously seen in its soft drinks and energy drinks—to disrupt the packaged beverages market, further heating competition. Rival brands such as Real and Tropicana already offer juice variants at comparable price points.

The move comes as major FMCG players, including Dabur, ITC, and Tata Consumer, are rolling out new juice variants with competitive pricing, enhanced promotions, and adjusted trade margins to capture market share, according to a prominent Delhi-based FMCG distributor. Reliance’s existing ties with Ceylon Beverages, which include contract packaging for Campa and co-creation of the energy drink Spinner, bolster its distribution network for energy drinks and juices across India.

Sun Crush enters a burgeoning Indian beverages market, currently valued at ₹67,000 crore, per a report by think tank ICRIER. The report projects the sector—encompassing carbonated soft drinks, juices, fruit-based drinks, and water—will grow to ₹1.47 trillion by 2030, driven by rising consumer demand. With this launch, Reliance aims to solidify its foothold in the mass-market juice segment, intensifying the battle among FMCG giants in one of India’s fastest-growing consumer categories.

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