Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) – Kenya have today 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 1,000 MT 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 readymarket for their crops, and over 100 employees who work in the

“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.

About Coca-Cola Beverages Africa

As Africa’s largest Coca-Cola bottler and the world’s 10th largest – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) bottles and distributes trademarked beverages owned by The Coca-Cola Company. With over 14,000 employees in Africa – 2,700 of these in Kenya – and 4 bottling plants (in Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru counties), CCBA services millions of customers with a host of international and local brands.

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 (GFI, majority shareholders in Coca-Cola Sabco). In July 2017, CCBA also acquired Kisumu’s Equator Bottlers Limited. We are also the exclusively appointed distributors of the Gruppo Campari range of products in Kenya. We are proudly Kenyan, and note that in addition to the above mentioned shareholding, Centum Investments Co.

Limited has been a shareholder in our business since 1978