COCA-COLA BEVERAGES AFRICA LAUNCHES KSH7B HOTFILL JUICE LINE AT NAIROBI PLANT

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) - Kenya yesterday announced the opening of a Ksh7 billion Hotfill Juice Line at its Nairobi Bottling Plant in Embakasi in a bid to expand its product portfolio. The new state of the art line, which uses heat to sterilize both product and packaging, was officially unveiled by His Excellency Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H. and will be used to process a range of products including fruit juices, sports drinks, dairy fusions, juices with bits and iced tea.

“We are witnessing a trend in which the entire fruit juice and sports drink segment is growing globally as consumer tastes and preferences shift,” said Daryl Wilson, Managing Director Coca-Cola Beverages Africa – Kenya. “It is therefore becoming an increasing priority for us to be innovative and increase our portfolio of beverages in the market to include categories that do not currently exist,” he added.

Over the last 10 years, CCBA Kenya have invested over $300 million in production facilities and invested significantly in the local sourcing of the materials used in the production of their beverages. The company is committed to the Buy Kenya Build Kenya initiative by sourcing fruit, raw materials and packaging locally.

“The President’s Big Four agenda resonates strongly with our company’s goals and commitment to the Buy Kenya Build Kenya initiative. In 2017, we processed 1,000MT of mangoes from farmers in Central Kenya, Coast and Tana River into fruit juice for the Kenyan market and this is expected to grow by 20% by the year 2020,” Wilson added.

The new Hotfill facility by CCBA Kenya impacts over 5,000 farmers during harvest season by providing them ready market for their crops, and over 100 employees who work in the mango processing plant. At the juice plant, 30 young men and women have been trained, certified and hired to operate and maintain the installed equipment, and apply world-class manufacturing practices. Overall, the company has provided employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to over 350,000 women in Kenya since 2011 and continues to work with partners to create opportunities and avenues for employment for SME’s and Kenya youth.

“Kenyans want a country that works for all of us: we want reasonably priced medical care; we want skilled jobs for our sons and daughters; we want to be entirely food secure; and we want dignified jobs for ourselves,” said His Excellency, Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H., President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya. The “Big Four” serves each of those; and it encourages every Kenyan to do their part in the work of achieving them. That is why I am so pleased to launch this new Hot-Fill Beverage Juice Line today — a 7 billion shilling investment.  It shows that our priorities have struck a chord in the private sector. Like us, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa appreciates the importance of jobs, of innovation, and of manufacturing.”

CCBA strongly believes that Kenya is a good place to do business and remains committed to partnering with the government to realize the country’s full potential. As Africa’s largest bottler, the company has over 14,000 employees on the continent – 2,700 of these in Kenya within 4 bottling plants (Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru). The conglomerate was formed in July 2016 upon the successful combination of the Southern and East Africa bottling operations of the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages businesses of the Coca-Cola Company, SAB Miller plc, and Gutsche Family Investments.