The Coca-Cola Company and its Partners in India to Contribute USD 1.7 BN in the Agri Ecosystem by 2022

The Coca-Cola Company, its bottling partners and its fruit suppliers and processors in India, will contribute USD 1.7 BN+ 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 USD 800 MN 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 and 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, today. An estimated 200,000 farmers will benefit from this 5-year roadmap of sourcing fruit pulp and fruit concentrate derived out of 2.10 MN tonnes of fruit. 
 
The choicest of Indian Mosambi fruits have been locally sourced from Jalna in Maharashtra for Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi. The beverage contains Mosambi juice and additional pulp which provides a refreshing taste of juice to quench thirst and delights the taste buds, while the pulp can be chewed to relish a fruit-eating experience. Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi will be available across the country in 250 ml, 400 ml and 1 litre pack sizes affordably priced at INR 20, INR 30 and INR 70 respectively.

Handing over the first bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi to a farmer who grew the fruit for the beverage, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, "The agriculture sector in the country is undergoing rapid transformation with the focus on adoption of technology and scientific methods of farming across the value chain. In line with our commitment to the overall development of farmers, we are encouraging investments in the agriculture sector to substantially enhance productivity and farmers income. I am particularly happy today as long-standing demand of the farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada is being fulfilled. It was a long cherished dream for them. We are happy with this commitment of significant investments in the agricultural economy which will play a key role in developing the agri sector in Maharashtra and help us in making the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji's vision to double the farm income by 2022."

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 The Coca-Cola Company owned bottling operation in India – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages; 13 other independent franchise bottlers and fruit processing companies – will invest around USD 900 MN 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 realize 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 catalyze economic growth and create new opportunities for farmers and local suppliers," said, T Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia.

In addition to the roadmap laid out for the juice business of The Coca-Cola Company in India, the Company also procures and exports raw materials and ingredients worth USD 280 MN from India to 44 countries, making it a net Foreign Exchange earner.About Coca-Cola India
 
Coca-Cola India is one of the country's leading beverage companies, offering a range of healthy, safe, high quality, refreshing beverage options to consumers. Since its re-entry in 1993, the company has been refreshing consumers with its beverage products – Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Fanta, Fanta Green Mango, Limca, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Maaza, VIO flavoured milk 'Almond Delight' and 'Kesar Delight', Minute Maid range of juices, FUZE Iced tea, Georgia and Georgia gold range of hot and cold tea and coffee options, Schweppes, Kinley and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. The Company along with its bottling partners, through a strong network of over 2.6 million retail outlets, touches the lives of millions of consumers, at a rate of more than 500 servings per second. Its brands are some of the most preferred and most sold beverages in the country – Thums Up and Sprite – being the top two selling sparkling beverages.
 
The Coca-Cola India system provides direct employment to 25,000 people and indirect employment to more than 150,000 people. The Coca-Cola system in India is contributing in its own small way to building sustainable communities through community initiatives like Support My School, VEER, Parivartan and Unnati and by reducing its own environmental footprint. For further information on the company's India operations and its products, please visit: www.coca-colaindia.com. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/CocaCola_Ind, or on facebook.