Billion-Dollar Brands

American Demographics, Jan 1, 2002

A report released in October by market research firm ACNielsen identifies 43 consumer product brands that have a billion-dollar global presence. To be considered "global," brands had to have sales equal to or in excess of $1 billion for the 12 month period ending with the first quarter of 2001; have a measurable presence in each of the four major geographic regions - Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America and Europe, and the Middle East and Africa - and have sales outside the company's home market that account for at least 5 percent of all global sales. The beverage category claims the greatest share of the billion-dollar global brands: 13 in all. Other leading product categories include: tobacco with four billion-dollar-brands; snack foods with three; and pet foods with three.

THE FORTUNATE FEW

Of the 43 billion-dollar global brands, 19 are worth $2 billion or more.