The rapidly growing ranks of middle-class consumers span a dozen emerging nations, not just the fast-growing BRIC countries, and include almost two billion people, spending a total of $6.9 trillion annually. Research suggests that this figure will rise to $20 trillion during the next decade—about twice the current consumption in the United States. These new spenders offer an opportunity for early winners to gain lasting advantages, just as companies in Europe and the United States did at similar points in their development.
