Bottling group Coca-Cola HBC is set to launch its Three Cents mixers brand into the Chinese market for the first time.
Telford Wine & Spirits (Shanghai) has been appointed to distribute Three Cents’ sodas and tonics to on-trade customers in Mainland China as of this month.
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Coca-Cola HBC acquired the parent company of Three Cents in 2022.
The initial rollout focuses on Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha and Chengdu, supported by a series of “guest shifts and masterclasses” in on-premise venues in these cities, George Bagos, the general manager and co-founder of Three Cents, told Just Drinks.
Bagos described the China entry as a “major milestone”.
He added: “We want to build a strong foundation for the brand and capture the attention of the Chinese bartender community. Being listed in most of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in China will help us to raise our brand awareness – which is already strong despite no distribution – and increase our brand equity in the market.”
The products being launched in China include Three Cents Tonic Water, Aegean Tonic, Two Cents Plain, Ginger Beer and Pink Grapefruit Soda.
Bagos added: “The Chinese market presents real opportunity for mixer brands, driven by a younger generation inspiring a new wave of cocktail culture and the overall desire for quality experiences. Three Cents can carve out a foothold in the market as our range offers modern and innovative flavours that speak to the urban lifestyles of today’s drinkers.”
Three Cents is available in more than 50 markets worldwide.
Last year, the business expanded its footprint in Asia through a distribution deal covering Hong Kong and Singapore, appointing Proof & Company to supply its sodas and tonics to the on-trade in both territories.
The brand is also present in the Philippines, Cambodia, Taiwan and Macau.
Greece remains Three Cents’ largest market, with Italy, the Nordics and the UK being markets with “strong cocktail and on-trade culture for Three Cents”, Bagos said.
This year, the group plans to focus on “development in Asia”, the co-founder added, which it plans to do by “reinforcing the partnership we have been creating in 2025, and expanding to new countries that are eager to get Three Cents on their on-trade.”
Three Cents was founded in 2014 by Bagos, alongside Dimitris Dafopoulos, George Tsirikos and Vassilis Kalantzis.
