MINERAL water giant Wahaha Group is preparing to launch the latest challenge to Coca-Cola's grip on the mainland - Future Cola.
In an aggressive advertising campaign which kicked off during the soccer World Cup on prime time television and on billboards throughout Beijing, Wahaha touted its new product as the Chinese people's cola - made for the mainland by a mainland company.
Future Cola's packaging is similar to Coca-Cola's, but its main advantage is that it is 50 fen (cents) cheaper.
Wahaha secured a reputation by cornering 30 per cent of the mainland mineral water market and 60 per cent of its distilled water market.
Its claim that Future Cola is an 'ethnic Chinese cola' has attracted criticism, as 51 per cent of the company is owned by French food giant Danone. Enterprise Weekly said the claim was merely propaganda.
Even so, Coca-Cola does not seem too worried.
'This is very usual for us,' said a Coca-Cola spokesman in Beijing.