Africa’s largest Coca-Cola bottler – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) – is today celebrating its first day of operations. The company has been formed through the combination of African non-alcoholic ready-to-drink bottling interests of SABMiller plc, The Coca-Cola Company, and Gutsche Family Investments. Having received all necessary approvals, the merger parties officially completed the transaction on 2 July, 2016.

The new company will produce and distribute approximately 40% of all Coca-Cola beverage volumes in Africa and is the 10th largest Coca-Cola bottler worldwide, initially serving 11 high-growth countries, which will increase to a total of 14 countries. CCBA is headquartered in South Africa and it will manufacture and sell 40 still and sparkling brands from more than 30 African bottling plants.

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa CEO, Doug Jackson, said: “The creation of CCBA will provide a stronger, more successful Coca-Cola system in Africa and create greater shared value for the business and the communities we serve across the value-chain, including local suppliers and retailers. We will also seek to be a critical part of our customers’ growth strategies and invest substantially in our people and in their growth and development to build both capacity and capability.  As one operation, CCBA will better serve our consumers and communities in Africa, offering consumers greater choice, broader availability and better value.”