Coca-Cola South Africa is a Business Unit within the Eurasia and Africa Group of The Coca-Cola Company.

Representative of The Coca-Cola Company in South Africa, the history of Coca-Cola South Africa dates back to 1928 when the first bottling plant and distribution centre were opened in Johannesburg. Today South Africa is the largest Coca-Cola market on the continent. It is also consistently one of the top 10 performers in the world of Coca-Cola.

According to company statistics, the Cola-Cola bottlers in South Africa sell an average of 235 beverage servings to each person in the country every year - a rough total of 10 billion units. The world per capita is 77.

Key to the success of Coca-Cola is an integrated business system that includes a network of bottling partners and canners. In line with a universal model, Coca-Cola South Africa is responsible for marketing the beverages, which the bottlers and canners manufacture and distribute.

An economic impact study, undertaken in 2007 by the University of South Africa’s Bureau of Market Research on behalf of Coca-Cola South Africa, found that for every job created in the Coca-Cola System, another 10 are created outside of it. This is done through the sale of our products, or through procurement from companies supplying us with goods and services. Therefore, Coca-Cola South Africa is a significant contributor to the country’s economy and supports many industries, particularly the food and agriculture, packaging, chemicals, iron and steel, motor vehicles, electricity, business services and general trade sectors.

Soft drinks are the single most important product group to the turnover of small informal businesses, according to the 2007 Economic Impact Study conducted by the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Bureau of Market Research.

The company is often recognised for its business achievements and active involvement in community upliftment.

The Coca-Cola Company’s Manifesto for Growth, which defines a series of goals that must be accomplished by 2015, commits Coca-Cola South Africa to a range of programmes and interventions in terms of People, Portfolio, Partners, Profit and Planet. Each area is driven by local priorities and focus points, and is further contributing to the Coca-Cola story in South Africa.