Coca-Cola Makes Strategic Business Transfers in India, One of its Largest Growth Markets

Company-Owned Bottling Operations in Select Territories to be Refranchised to Local Partners

New Delhi, Jan 12, 2024 (GNI): Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd (HCCB), a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, today announced the transfer of bottling operations in three territories. 

• The Rajasthan market will be owned and operated by Kandhari Global Beverages (which comprises Enrich Agro Food Products Pvt. Ltd. and Kandhari Beverages Pvt. Ltd.). They are currently operating in parts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh.
• The Bihar market will be owned and operated by SLMG Beverages Pvt. Ltd.. They are currently operating Uttarakhand, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.
• The North-East market and select areas of West Bengal will be owned and operated by Moon Beverages Pvt. Ltd.. They are currently operating parts of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. 

“This business transfer marks a significant decision for Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages,” said Juan Pablo Rodriguez, CEO, HCCB India. “It ensures the right level of investments can be undertaken in all parts of the business, while bringing both scale and contiguity to the business.  We are in the long-term growth prospects of our beverages business in India and believe this move will help accelerate the Coca‑Cola system, enabling us to win in the market and provide greater value to local communities.”

HCCB, along with the partner bottlers/franchise bottling partners, are committed to working together to implement a smooth transition with minimal disruption for customers, consumers and employees.

“We are committed to building stronger and more sustainable local businesses in India,” said Sundeep Bajoria, Vice President, India Operations, for Coca‑Cola India. “As we set ourselves for further growth in the Indian market, these transfers will direct investments into innovation, infrastructure, technical capabilities, talent acquisition and business expansion while strengthening existing capabilities to deliver unparalleled beverage experiences to our consumers.”   

The goal of the Coca-Cola system in India is to become a world-class production and sales organization, and the refranchising of bottling operations is focused on streamlining the supply chain in the region and raising the bar on execution. 

About Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd.: HCCB was incorporated on February 14, 1997. Since then, HCCB has come a long way in being able to serve 25 lakh retailers, 3,500 distributors, and 6,000 employees. 250,000 farmers grow the agricultural produce that HCCB uses in making its products. The company is headquartered in Bangalore and its operations are spread in 22 states, 3 UTs, and 376 districts in South, West, and Eastern India. Through its 16 factories spread across India, it manufactures and sells 60 different products across 7 categories. Its products include some of India’s most loved beverages – Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, Minute Maid, Maaza, SmartWater, Kinley, Limca, Fanta, and a lot more.ends GNI