The
spotlight may have been on Pepsi, but Coke was well-represented
at the Forum with some words from president and COO
Donald Knauss. All eyes have been on the world’s
No. 1 beverage company since E. Neville Isdell took
the reins as CEO last year and Knauss offered some
insight on where the company stands one year later. “Our
real focus is getting North America back to its preeminent
role in our system, that’s really what we’re
focused on and we believe the ship is turning into
the wind, we’re getting this thing moving.”
The
company has focused a great deal on innovation—evidenced
by the recent appointment of Mary Minnick to a newly
created position heading corporate innovation, marketing
and strategy—and this year launched a succession
of new products. Its latest, Coca-Cola Zero, rolled
out in June. The product represents an effort to broaden
the appeal for zero-calorie beverages, wooing consumers
who are turned off by the word “diet.” “Particularly
younger males and females really respond to the idea
of zero,” Knauss said.
