Coca Cola to invest US$2 bln in China over 3 years

Published: 21 May 2009 17:07:59 PST

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May 22, 2009 (China Knowledge) - Coca Cola Co Ltd, the U.S.-based soft drink giant, plans to invest US$2 billion in China in the next three years, which is more than the total investment Coca Cola poured into China in the past 30 years, sources reported.

Andres Kiger, director integrated marketing at Coca Cola China, said the investment will be used to build new plants, improve R&D capability and enhance distribution network and marketing in China.

In 2009, two new Coca-Cola bottling plants located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Jiangxi Province will become operational, according to Kiger.

Although China's Ministry of Commerce blocked the soft drink giant's US$2.4 billion bid for Hong Kong-listed China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd<1886> earlier this year, Coca Cola will continue to seek various opportunities for its business development in China, including M&A, said Kiger.

Coca Cola will also continue to promote its own juice drinks, such as Minute Maid orange juice series and the newly developed white grape and aloe vera drink in the Chinese market.

Currently, China is the company's third largest market in the world and the second largest for Minute Maid.

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