FDBusiness.com

Coca-Cola has opened three new bottling plants in China worth a combined $240m, continuing its rapid expansion in one of the world’s largest and fastest growing beverage markets. The new investments are a part of Coca-Cola’s three-year $2b accelerated investment in China and the latest phase of Coca-Cola’s long-term commitment to its business in China.

Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive of Coca-Cola.

The investment is also aligned with the government’s call to develop the central and western areas of the country. The plants in Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, Luohe in Henan Province and Sanshui in Guangdong Province will locally produce beverages such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Minute Maid to quench the thirst of consumers in those regions.

Coca-Cola now has more than forty bottling plants in China, having opened six during the past two years. “Our business has experienced strong growth year on year in China, which is now our third largest market. More importantly, the new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong, will extend our competitive edge in China,” says Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive of Coca-Cola.