Marriott Makes The Switch To Coca-Cola, After 34 Years Of Pepsi Exclusivity

Here’s something that I think most people will view in a positive light…

Marriott makes the switch from Pepsi to Coke

Since 1992, Marriott has had an exclusive agreement with Pepsi for providing soft drinks for its properties globally. That agreement wasn’t put into place because customers prefer Pepsi, but instead, because Pepsi was willing to give Marriott a better deal. Specifically, Coca-Cola wasn’t willing to extend Marriott a loan at the time, and that was non-negotiable for Marriott.

That will finally be changing, as Marriott has revealed that it will be switching to Coke for products globally, as flagged by View from the Wing.

It’s funny, because I specifically remember when Marriott took over Starwood, and then Starwood made the switch from Coke to Pepsi, which many of us weren’t happy about. Here’s what the beverage giant had to say in a statement about this latest development:

“The Coca-Cola Company is proud to be working with Marriott International’s global portfolio. We look forward to playing our role in creating a great guest experience across the world’s largest hotel company. Marriott’s decision reflects the strength of our brands and the preference their guests have for our total beverage portfolio. This partnership underscores our shared commitment to quality, consistency, and elevating every moment of the stay.”

I’m curious what prompted this Pepsi to Coke switch

Marriott isn’t officially sharing why it’s making the switch from Pepsi to Coke. Did Marriott realize that only having Pepsi products negatively impacted the guest experience, or was Coke finally willing to give Marriott a better deal?

In an email to hotel owners about the change, Marriott stated that over 70% of Bonvoy members prefer Coke over Pepsi, which is why the change is being made. So I do think guest preference is a strong consideration here, and maybe Marriott could get a slightly better deal than in the past from Coke.

Personally I’m happy to see this change. There are definitely more people out there who prefer Coke to Pepsi, it’s just rare to see Marriott actually concerned about what customers prefer (rather than what they’ll put up with). 😉

Bottom line

Marriott will be making the switch from Pepsi to Coke, after 34 years of exclusivity with the number two beverage giant. Marriott claims that 70%+ of Bonvoy members prefer Pepsi to Coke, which sounds about right. While there was obviously some bad blood between the two brands in the past, I’m sure most guests will be happy to see this.

What do you make of Marriott making the switch from Pepsi to Coke?