RC Cola global head cites Phl as top market

MANILA, Philippines - Royal Crown Cola International (RCCI), the global beverage company of all independent bottlers of American softdrink brand RC Cola worldwide, has revealed that the Philippines is its most successful overseas market to date. Asiawide Refreshments Corp. (ARC) is the licensed bottler of RC Cola in the Philippines.

“This (Philippines) is the most successful market of RC Cola. We make a good product that these gentlemen from ARC sell very well,” remarked RCCI president Edmund O’Keeffe during a recent courtesy call at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) offices. 

O’Keeffe was referring to ARC chairman Alfredo M. Yao and executive vice president and chief operating officer Gerry T. Garcia, who both accompanied him and RCCI managing director Francis Lamprea in meeting DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo.

RCCI executives were recently in  Manila to participate in the dinner gala that commemorated ARC’s 10 years of valuing partnerships in the country.

According to O’Keeffe, a key success strategy of ARC in the Philippines is adopting a business model that values close partnership with dealers and encourages sustainable livelihood. “Yesterday, we visited a lady who started as a dealer six years ago in Antipolo. Today, she employs around 15 people,” noted O’Keefe.

Lamprea added that ARC’s unique distribution system leverages on the innate entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos. Many communities thrive centered around the trade and commerce that RC Cola distributorships provide, especially in provincial and rural areas.

Commitment to delivering quality and a steady supply of products is also vital behind ARC’s success in catapulting RC Cola to cult status in the Philippine market.

Now, the Philippine RC Cola business is serving as a model for bottlers in other RC Cola markets such as Tajikistan and India. Representatives from the RC Cola distributorship in these two countries recently visited the ARC plants to study its operation for adoption of best practices in their respective businesses.

“We’re hoping that Yao and Garcia will take the brand to other developing countries,” said O’Keeffe on expansion plans.

From one plant in Antipolo when ARC reintroduced RC Cola to the Philippine market a decade ago, the company now has 9 plants, including one in Cagayan de Oro that started operation in February and a partner bottler in Cebu.