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Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is marking nine years since its formation through a transformative merger, solidifying its position as the continent's largest Coca-Cola bottling partner.
This milestone builds upon a proud legacy that stretches back 85 years, originating in 1940 when the first Coca-Cola was bottled in Gqeberha, South Africa.
From these humble beginnings, CCBA has evolved into a pivotal player in Africa's beverage industry, demonstrating a profound commitment to local communities and long-term development.
Today, CCBA continues its robust investment in new production capacity, unequivocally reinforcing its belief in Africa's immense potential and its dedication to fostering shared opportunities throughout its extensive value chain.
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Strategic Investments and Advancements in Sustainability
In the past year alone, CCBA has made substantial investments, launching new state-of-the-art bottling lines in South Africa, Namibia, and Malawi.
These additions have collectively boosted the company's total production capacity by over 108,000 bottles per hour and are equipped with advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, signalling a move towards more efficient and modern operations.
Beyond production, CCBA has also made significant strides in sustainability, notably opening a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flaking plant in Namibia.
This facility, a partnership with Plastic Packaging, has doubled the capacity of Namibia Polymer Recyclers (NPR), the country's sole mechanical plastic recycler, enabling it to process up to 500 tons of PET per month. Furthermore, CCBA has announced its intention to grow its investment in Kenya by up to $175 million between 2024 and 2029, contingent on achieving anticipated growth targets in the country.
Refreshing Africa and Creating Shared Value
Sunil Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of CCBA, underscored the strategic importance of these investments.
"These investments are a demonstration of our progress and continued belief in the future of Africa," he stated. Gupta emphasised the Coca-Cola system's localised approach: "we produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally."
He highlighted that CCBA's value chain incorporates a substantial number of businesses, many of which are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), thereby creating widespread shared opportunities. "Our vision is to refresh Africa and create shared value," Gupta reiterated.
As CCBA celebrates its ninth anniversary, the company aims to "inspire excellence and set the standard as Africa’s leading and most admired company, fostering growth, innovation and impact across the continent," reaffirming its dedication to contributing positively to the continent's economic and social development.