India is throwing "Diet Coke Parties" - I'm starting research on Coke

Didn't have this one on my 2026 bucket list.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing some serious supply chain disruptions, acutely in parts of Asia.

In India, shops have struggled to keep Diet Coke on the shelves due to a shortage of aluminum cans.

The Gulf accounts for about 9% of global aluminum production - did not know that.

For Ishika Gupta, a 25-year-old marketing and design consultant based in New Delhi, it was an opportunity for fun, so she decided to throw a party celebrating the drink.

“It was a joke,” said Gupta, describing herself as an “avid drinker” of Diet Coke. “I thought only me and two of my friends would show up.”

The Diet Coke Party was a hit

The party was a hit with Gen Zers who she says are craving more alcohol-free experiences. Tickets were sold out, and attendees showed up wearing Coke-themed outfits. They danced to house and pop music and made their own Diet Coke concoctions.

“We had a cocktail menu, which we like to call the Coke-tail,” she said — it notably didn’t include alcohol. Around 150 people showed up at the party on April 26, she said.

There's a megatrend here

On the topic of Diet Coke concoctions, this seems like a global mega trend that's happening. Swig is a Utah based company that has caught fire this year, as more people are veering off alcohol.

Gallup's August 2025 poll: 54% of US adults say they drink alcohol — the lowest rate in nearly 90 years. Down from 58% in 2024 and 62% in 2023

What I'm doing

The largest non-alcoholic beverage company in the world is by far Coca-Cola.

I'm using this story as a jumping-off point to study Coca-Cola. I think the company could be a buy - if the valuation is right.

Here's my initial thesis (without any research):

• the difficult part for beverage companies is not the manufacturing, but it's the distribution. Coca-Cola has an incredibly strong and diverse and resilient supply chain network, probably the best in the world

• Coca Cola has run psyops for generations, and they're very good at it. Just even when you think about Christmas, you think of Santa on that bright red can and polar bears being friendly and cuddly