Sprite and IRCTC launch branded Tejas Express on Lucknow–New Delhi route

Coca-Cola India’s Sprite will activate five branded coaches on the Tejas Express for six months, with onboard food-bundle inclusion, sampling, merchandise and recycled-plastic station benches through a Wow! Momo partnership.

— Source published Fri, 21 Aug, 2026, 15:30 IST · First seen Fri, 21 Aug, 2026, 15:36 IST · Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Sprite and IRCTC launched the Sprite Tejas Express on the Lucknow–New Delhi route, featuring five branded coaches, onboard inclusion in food bundles, sampling

Key facts

  • Six-month operation starting August 2026
  • Five Sprite-branded coaches
  • Approximately 45 kg of post-consumer packaging waste repurposed per station bench

Why this matters

Coca-Cola India’s IRCTC and Wow! Momo collaboration highlights a scalable partnership model combining transit media, food bundles, retail sampling and visible sustainability assets.

What to watch

  • Announcement of branded coaches on additional Tejas, Vande Bharat or Shatabdi routes.
  • Disclosure of passenger reach, sampling volumes, food-bundle attach rates or campaign-extension terms.
  • Sprite placement as a default beverage in IRCTC meal ordering or Wow! Momo station outlets.
  • Competing beverage brand partnerships with IRCTC, railway stations or onboard catering operators.
  • Expansion of recycled-plastic infrastructure installations beyond the pilot stations.
  • Expand the Sprite-IRCTC format to premium, high-frequency rail corridors if food-bundle attach rates are positive.
  • Negotiate permanent or seasonal Sprite pours, combo placements and digital menu visibility with IRCTC catering partners.
  • Use QR codes, couponing and geofenced offers to connect onboard sampling to station, neighborhood and ecommerce purchases.
  • Counter likely rival moves from PepsiCo, energy-drink and packaged-water brands seeking branded coach or station-asset partnerships.
  • Scale the recycled-plastic bench program into a visible sustainability proof point across major stations.