Cola War in Nepal: Campa Cola Enters the Ring

Nepal’s soft drink market, long dominated by the duopoly of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, has a new challenger. Campa Cola, the iconic Indian beverage brand revived by Reliance Industries, has officially entered Nepal through a partnership with the Chaudhary Group (CG), one of the country’s leading business conglomerates.

A Third Force Emerges in a Two-Horse Race

Following its rapid resurgence in India, Campa Cola is now expanding regionally. The brand, owned by Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL)—the FMCG arm of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, has launched its product range in Nepal through CG Reliance Beverages Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture with the Chaudhary Group.

Campa Cola’s return to prominence began with its 2022 acquisition of the brand from Pure Drinks Group for INR 352 million. Since then, it has seen a meteoric rise in India, reaching a brand value of INR 16 billion by 2024 and capturing around 14% market share in key regions, according to Indian media reports.

Strategic Launch in Nepal

On July 14, CG Reliance Beverages officially launched the Campa Cola product line in Nepal, introducing a variety of flavors including Campa Cola, Campa Lemon and Campa Orange, and two energy drinks: Campa Energy Gold Booster and Campa Energy Berry Kick.

“We are entering Nepal with a long-term investment vision,” said Ketan Modi, Executive Director of RCPL. “Campa Cola is a historic Indian brand with a legacy of over 50 years. It carries an emotional connection across generations.”

A Partnership Built on Scale and Legacy

For Reliance, the foray into Nepal is part of a broader strategy to build a transnational brand presence.

“This reinforces our growing relationship with the Chaudhary Group and our long-term commitment to the Nepali market,” Modi said. He also pointed to Campa’s growing presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as evidence of the brand’s international viability.

Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director of the Chaudhary Group, expressed pride in partnering with Reliance to introduce the heritage Indian brand to Nepali consumers. “This collaboration allows us to offer a high-quality, nostalgic beverage to the Nepali market. We will leverage our deep market experience and distribution strength to make Campa Cola as a household name here.”

Retail prices have been set competitively: a 250 ml bottle of Campa Cola, Lemon or Orange is priced at Rs 30, while the Campa Energy Berry Kick variant sells for Rs 40.

Local Production in Makwanpur

To support domestic production, CG has acquired a bottling plant from Ventura Bottlers Company in Manahari of Makwanpur, along with a 4-bigha plot of land, for an estimated Rs 500 million. The deal includes all physical infrastructure and fixed assets.

However, Subash Acharya, Director of Ventura Bottlers, clarified that while the plant’s fixed assets are being sold, the company retains its licensing rights to produce RC Cola in Nepal. “We have sold the plant’s fixed assets to Chaudhary Group. However, final financial settlements are still in process,” Acharya told New Business Age.

A Factory with an Unfulfilled Past

The Ventura facility, equipped with machinery from Germany, France and the US, had faced significant challenges. Although test production had begun post-COVID, the company struggled to gain market traction and failed to launch an effective marketing campaign, ultimately leading to its sale.

Previously, Ventura Bottlers produced a wide range of soft drinks including cola, orange, lemon, mountain, energy and jeera (cumin) flavors, along with bottled water under the Mount Vita brand.

Looking Ahead

With the combined market power of Reliance and the Chaudhary Group, Campa Cola’s entry could disrupt the status quo in Nepal’s beverage industry. As competition heats up, consumers are likely to benefit from more choices, better prices and renewed innovation in the cola wars.

(This report was originally publihsed in August 2025 issue of New Business Age Magazine.)