Teaching Note: Lahori Zeera: disrupting Pepsi and Coke in India with Indian masala

Lahori Zeera, a cumin-infused fizzy drink, has achieved significant success, capturing market share in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian cities and outpacing global cola majors with its distinctive cumin-based flavour. It needed to build on its early success, and hence the brand now faced a strategic crossroads: Should it expand nationwide, or maintain its current focus on the northern parts of India? The decision is further complicated by intensifying competition from both multinational cola giants and agile local imitators, and it must choose whether to reinforce its ethnic or functional positioning or repackage itself to appeal to urban, premium...