Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and partners to invest Rs 5200 crore in Indian agriculture chain

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd (HCCB), one of India’s top FMCG companies, is planning to become a complete beverage company by manufacturing products in every category that has consumer relevance. 

While HCCB has traditionally been focusing on carbonated beverages and juices,it is now investing on infrastructure that can produce flavoured milk products, mineral fortified hydration products, fruit based products and traditional Indian drinks like Jalzeera flavoured Rimzhim.

T Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, "HCCB is one of largest institutional buyers of agricultural produce and fruit pulp – worth more than Rs 2000 crore – benefitting 250000 farmers. In the next 5 years, Hindustan Coca-Cola along with the 13 other franchise bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company in India plan to spend Rs 5200 crore towards the procurement of processed fruit pulp and fruit concentrate. This will have a direct positive impact on more than 500000 farmers."

Christina Ruggiero, CEO, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd, said, "My focus going forward is to build HCCB into a ‘total beverage company’ that has a play in all beverage categories of relevance. This also involves building the HCCB brand which involves more public outreach and communication with stakeholders."