Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) has announced it is marking nine years since the transformative merger that established it as the continent’s largest Coca-Cola bottling partner.
According to the company, this milestone is grounded in a proud legacy that began 85 years ago, when the first Coca-Cola was bottled in Gqeberha, South Africa in 1940 by the SA Bottling Company (Pty) Ltd.
That same year, Philipp Rowland Gutsche joined the company, beginning a family legacy that would shape the business for generations.
"From those early beginnings, CCBA has evolved into a key player in Africa’s beverage industry, with a deep commitment to local communities and long-term development. Today, CCBA continues to invest in new production capacity, reinforcing its belief in Africa’s potential and its commitment to creating shared opportunities across the value chain," the company said.
In the past year alone, CCBA has launched new state-of-the-art bottling lines in South Africa, Namibia and Malawi, increasing total production capacity by over 108,000 bottles per hour, and equipped with advanced technology, including artificial intelligence.
CCBA has also opened a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flaking plant in Namibia which doubled the capacity of the only mechanical recycler of plastic in the country through a partnership with Plastic Packaging.
The completion of this cutting-edge recycling facility has enabled Namibia Polymer Recyclers (NPR), a subsidiary of Plastic Packaging, to recycle up to 500 tons of PET per month.
CCBA has also announced the company’s intention to grow its investment in Kenya by up to $175m in the five years between 2024 and 2029, should it achieve its anticipated growth targets in the country.
“These investments are a demonstration of our progress and continued belief in the future of Africa,” said Sunil Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of CCBA.
“They reaffirm the Coca-Cola system’s local approach - we produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally. Our value chain includes a significant number of businesses, many of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“These investments go beyond numbers, it’s about creating shared opportunities across the value chain,” Gupta said.
“Our vision is to refresh Africa and create shared value. As we celebrate our ninth birthday as a company, we aim to inspire excellence and set the standard as Africa’s leading and most admired company, fostering growth, innovation and impact across the continent,” Gupta said.
