Coca-Cola and partners to invest $ 1.7 bn in Indian agri ecosystem by 2022

Coca-Cola owned bottling operation in India will invest $ 900 mn to raise production infrastructure

Last Updated : Jun 06 2017 | 4:05 PM IST

The Coca-Cola Company - along with its bottling partners and fruit suppliers and processors in India - will invest $ 1.7 billion in the agri ecosystem of the country over the next 5 years, spanning the entire supply chain from grove to glass through a unique concept called the Fruit Circular Economy.

Close to $ 800 million of this contribution would be towards the procurement of processed fruit pulp and fruit concentrate for The Coca-Cola Company’s ever increasing portfolio of juice & juice drinks and carbonated drinks with juice products in India and the remaining would be invested towards creating the required infrastructure. The company will further expand its juice product range with the launch of Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi on Monday. An estimated 200,000 farmers will benefit from this 5 year roadmap of sourcing fruit pulp and fruit concentrate derived out of 2.10 million tonnes of fruit.

Coca-Cola in India is working on a transitional journey focused on creating a virtuous circular economy of sustainable agriculture (horticulture) by using a variety of Indian fruits in its beverages under the juice and aerated drinks categories. Through this initiative Coca-Cola owned bottling operation in India - Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages; 13 other independent franchise bottlers and fruit processing companies - will invest around $ 900 million on manufacturing lines, juice bottling infrastructure and fruit processing plants and equipment and agriculture interventions over the next 5 years to support the demand and the growing range of the company’s non-carbonated drinks portfolio.

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and Jain Irrigation are already invested in Project Orange Unnati and Project Mango Unnati that promotes good science and technology like ultra high density plantation (UHDP) and micro irrigation system for enhanced produce.

“We have already expanded our Minute Maid juice range from 1 variant in 2007 to 11 variants in 2017 and if we are to realise our portfolio ambitions of being a total beverage company, we must invest in the agri ecosystem. The launch of Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi marks the beginning of this transformational journey towards creating a sustainable circular economy with Indian fruits. More than 1,800 MT of the mosambi fruit has already been sourced from Jalna in Maharashtra for the first phase of the Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi production. The investments announced today by Coca-Cola will further catalyse economic growth and create new opportunities for farmers and local suppliers,” said T Krishnakumar, president, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, in a press release on Monday.

In addition to the roadmap laid out for the juice business of Coca-Cola in India, the company also procures and exports raw materials and ingredients worth $ 280 million from India to 44 countries.