Fanta Orange and Sprite: the profitable allies of your retail shelf

Fanta: the seasonal effect to plan for

Fanta Orange is the second best-selling carbonated soft drink in France across the April to September window. The consumption curve is steep: sales can double between January and July in some outlets. The direct consequence is that stockouts concentrate in exactly that summer window — precisely when margins are strongest, because demand is high and promotional pressure is low.

The answer is not to overstock in winter, which ties up cash and exposes you to shelf-life markdowns. The right approach is to build a seasonal sourcing calendar with your supplier, which is what Martigane sets up with its retail and regional wholesale customers.

Sprite: the third option that gets overlooked

Sprite is underestimated by many retail buyers. It is nonetheless the most consumed non-cola carbonated drink among urban 18 to 35 year olds, and its annual growth has outpaced Coca-Cola Classic since 2022. Sprite Zero is growing faster still, carried by changing dietary habits among younger consumers.

The problem is that Sprite is often ranged with minimal facing, which creates invisible stockouts: the customer does not find the product, says nothing, and switches brand. You lose sales without ever seeing them.

The Martigane range on Fanta and Sprite

We distribute the full range:

• Fanta Orange — 33cl cans (pallets of 24/48), 1.5L PET, 2L PET
• Fanta Lemon — 33cl cans, 1.5L PET
• Fanta Strawberry and other variants — subject to regional availability
• Sprite Original — 33cl cans, 1.5L PET, 2L PET
• Sprite Zero — 33cl cans, 1.5L PET

And always the key advantage: the mixed pallet. You can combine Fanta Orange, Sprite, Coca-Cola and Red Bull on a single pallet to streamline your logistics and test new assortments quickly.

The seasonal soda trap

Many distributors order fruit sodas order by order, just in time, believing they are avoiding overstock. It is a false economy. In peak demand from June to August, lead times stretch at conventional suppliers — up to five to seven working days. The result is an empty shelf on Saturday, the most strategic day of the week.

We hold a buffer stock on the key seasonal references as a matter of course. Customers receive their Fanta Orange within 48 to 72 hours even at the height of summer, and we send advance notice by email in the weeks before demand peaks so you can bring orders forward.

Margins on Fanta and Sprite

Without going into confidential detail, here is a consistent field observation: gross margins on Fanta and Sprite run structurally two to four points above Coca-Cola Classic in retail. The reason is that promotional competition is less intense on these references and consumers are less price-sensitive on them.

The conclusion is straightforward: the wider you range on Fanta and Sprite, the better your shelf performs.