Small plan ahead for Coca-Cola

COCA-COLA, looking to adapt to changing tastes, wants to expand new and smaller brands, including drinks that can be mixed with alcohol.

The company said more people want to sip on beverages made in small batches, instead of mass-produced sodas. Knowing that, Coca-Cola recently bought Mexican sparkling water brand Topo Chico, which it said has a strong following in Texas. It said it would develop smaller brands, such as its Blue Sky soda, which is made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup.

Alcohol mixers are also becoming more popular around the world, said CEO James Quincey, and the company launched a mixer in Spain called Royal Bliss this year as well as a new line in the U.K.

“More consumers seek unique and distinct products with sophisticated flavors, quality ingredients and smaller-scale production,” he said.

Coca-Cola posted net income of $1.45 billion, or 33 cents per share, in the three months ending Sept. 29. That’s up from the $1.05 billion, or 24 cents per share, in reported in the same quarter a year ago.