Before moving to Texas in March, I’d never heard of Topo Chico, the mineral water from Monterey, Mexico that is ubiquituos in Texas.
According to The New York Times, don’t even ask for San Pellegrino or Perrier in a bar or restaurant in Texas; they’re likely not served.
Topo Chico gets a lot of support from the trade and word-of-mouth from its fans, many of whom can be seen on the brand’s Instagram page.
By 2016, Topo Chico had captured 62 percent of imported sparkling water sales at grocery stores in Texas, and 74 percent at convenience stores. With numbers like that, a buyer is bound to come calling.
Coca-Cola acquired Topo Chico for $220 million in October 2017.
Today, this “global microbrand” has a means to unlimited distribution. We will now see how far and wide the Topo tribe reaches.
Topo Chico sales grew roughly 30% in the first quarter of 2018, Chaly Jo Moyen said at Beverage Digest’s Market Smarts conference. Moyen, who is Coca-Cola North America’s senior vice president of strategy, insights, and decision science, said the beverage is thriving by “fulfilling a unique need.”
