Nine years after its landmark merger, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is celebrating nearly a decade of sustained growth, investment, and community-centered development—solidifying its role as the largest Coca-Cola bottling partner on the African continent.
This milestone is more than a corporate anniversary; it’s a continuation of a legacy that began 85 years ago, when Coca-Cola was first bottled in Gqeberha, South Africa in 1940. That same year, Philipp Rowland Gutsche joined the SA Bottling Company (Pty) Ltd, laying the foundation for a multi-generational business journey that would later evolve into CCBA.
As it commemorates nine years since the merger that unified bottling operations across multiple African countries, CCBA is doubling down on its commitment to the continent. The company has ramped up production capacity and made major investments in recycling, technology, and regional expansion—all aimed at creating “shared opportunities” across its supply chain.
In just the past year, new state-of-the-art bottling lines have been launched in South Africa, Namibia, and Malawi, collectively increasing capacity by over 108,000 bottles per hour. These facilities feature AI-integrated technology designed to improve efficiency and sustainability.
In Namibia, CCBA partnered with Plastic Packaging to open a PET flaking plant, which has doubled the country’s plastic recycling capacity, enabling up to 500 tons of PET to be processed each month by Namibia Polymer Recyclers, a Plastic Packaging subsidiary.
Looking ahead, CCBA has its sights set on Kenya, announcing plans to invest up to $175 million between 2024 and 2029, contingent on reaching projected growth benchmarks.
For Sunil Gupta, CEO of CCBA, these investments reflect a deeply rooted philosophy:
“These investments go beyond numbers. It’s about creating shared opportunities across the value chain,” Gupta said. “They reaffirm the Coca-Cola system’s local approach—we produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally.”
Gupta emphasized that CCBA’s operations generate value not just for shareholders, but for a wide ecosystem that includes small and medium enterprises (SMEs), local suppliers, and communities.
“As we celebrate our ninth birthday as a company, we aim to inspire excellence and set the standard as Africa’s leading and most admired company—fostering growth, innovation, and impact across the continent.”
