Coca-Cola Beverages Africa becomes largest bottler in the continent

TO MEET rapidly developing markets for beverages in Africa, The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller plc and Gutsche Family Investments (majority shareholders in Coca-Cola Sabco) consolidate their non-alcoholic RTD beverage businesses through the formation of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa. The new bottling company will serve 12 countries in East and Southern Africa, which together account for some 40 percent of Coca-Cola’s beverage volume in the region. It will start with nine high-growth countries namely, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Comoros and Mayotte.

The company will have 30 bottling plants to its name and 14,000 employees, making it the largest bottler on the continent. It is expected to invest in production, sales and distribution, as well as develop best practices, and continue shareholders’ commitment to economic and social upgrade of communities. Combining the strengths of three companies, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa will be able to provide its customers with more choices, broader availability and better value.

Once the merger has been completed, shareholdings in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa will be SABMiller: 57.0%, Gutsche Family Investments: 31.7% and The Coca-Cola Company: 11.3%.