Sugary drinks for the Chinese populace were on the menu last week for Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, as he announced three new bottling plants in Hohhot, Luohe and Sanshui, respectively.
The locations span China from north to south with Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, Luohe in Henan, and Sanshui in Guangdong. The new investments are a part of Coca-Cola's three-year USD2 billion accelerated investment in China and the latest phase of Coca-Cola's long-term commitment to its business in China.
The investment is also aligned with the Chinese government's call to develop the central and western areas of the country. The plants will locally produce beverages such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Minute Maid.
"This CNY1.6 billion commitment to Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong Province is more than an investment in Coca-Cola's expansion to capitalize on the fast growing China market. It is also an important step by Coca-Cola to assist in the development of local communities throughout China, including in the less developed areas," said Kent at the opening ceremony for the Hohhot plant.