Our competitive edge

Our starting point is understanding how we can best meet the diverse needs of our consumers and customers. We aim to build a longer-term view, assessing emerging trends and the broader context of the categories in which we operate. By putting the consumer and customer at the heart of what we do, we can innovate and develop brands that consumers love and deliver scalable products and services that maximise growth opportunities for our customers. Our insight informs our Healthier People, Healthier Planet ambitions to help consumers make more informed, healthier choices.

We are committed to producing high quality soft drinks that are sourced and manufactured in a fair, ethical and environmentally responsible way. Our sustainable procurement strategy aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

It focuses on four core priorities:

1. Low carbon supply chain
2. Sustainability packaging
3. Regeneration agriculture
4. Ethical sourcing

We work closely with our suppliers to understand the environmental and social footprint of our collective activities and find solutions to support the efficient use of natural resources, reducing carbon emissions throughout the value chain.

Our experts ensure that our drinks evolve so we have a competitive brand portfolio that stays relevant to consumers’ needs. We want to guarantee that people continue to enjoy our drinks for many years. Our team is at the forefront of science, technology and innovation. Made up of scientists, engineers, and consumer and sensory specialists, together they have deep technical expertise and understanding of consumer preferences and behaviours. We bring fresh thinking, curiosity and a problem-solving mindset to everything we do. This covers all aspects from new products and consumer experiences, through adaptation and innovation in our current portfolio, to exploring future opportunities and trends. Innovation depends on collaboration, and we are proud to work in partnership with suppliers, industry bodies and academia to share and explore cutting edge science and technology.

We have invested in state-of-the-art technology across our manufacturing sites to ensure we make the most of our capabilities – volumes, resilience and agility – and operate to the highest standards. We work with distribution companies to transport our products, rather than operating an in-house fleet of vehicles. Our employees’ safety, health and wellbeing are paramount, and so is our commitment to manufacturing our drinks sustainably. We are committed to reducing our operational footprint by reducing our water ratio and cutting our greenhouse gas emissions as we transition to a low carbon business. We have clear targets for water use, waste and carbon emissions annually through our Healthier People, Healthier Planet sustainability strategy.

Our customers are essential stakeholders and we take pride in our strong relationships with them. They are not only our primary route to market but also partners in joint business plans, through which we collaborate to create shared value. As such, we engage with them regularly and share our expertise to influence growth in soft drinks sales.

Additionally, we offer tailor-made websites for customers that provide ideas and advice, from creating the perfect serve for the consumer to interpreting and implementing government policy. We share a commitment with them to establish and implement a sustainable approach to business. This includes sharing knowledge and best practices across packaging innovation trends and solutions to minimise our collective environmental impact.

We invest in and deliver advertising and marketing campaigns to build brand awareness and support sales growth. Each of our much‑loved household brands has a clear identity and purpose. Many, such as Teisseire, R. White’s and Ballygowan, have deep-rooted histories going back hundreds of years. As custodians of these brands, it’s our privilege to innovate and grow our proposition while remaining true to their heritages. We use our flavour and marketing expertise to create, establish and develop new brands such as London Essence. Our Healthier People, Healthier Planet ethos is embedded in our marketing strategies. Through clear and consistent campaigns and labelling, we aim to increase consumer understanding of the need to create a circular economy for packaging. We always promote and market healthier options that align with our marketing code to encourage people to make choices that are better for them.