By Linda Kwanjana
One of the world’s leading conglomerate Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Malawi is marking the one-year anniversary of its operations as a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa with the official change of the local entity’s name to Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi Ltd (CCBM) and notching up significant milestones, including a move to clear Sprite packaging which makes the bottles easier to recycle, and an investment in its glass bottle production line to increase capacity.
The move to Sprite clear is a precursor to the company ramping up its plastic waste collection and recycling efforts.
Clear PET plastic bottles have a higher value as a recyclable material as they are easier to recycle than coloured packages.
The company has also refurbished its office in Lilongwe as a further investment in the business.
“CCBA’s strategic intent is to be the anchor bottler in each of the markets within its footprint,” said Seutloadi Thaanyane, managing director of CCBM.
“CCBA made a significant investment in Malawi through the purchase of the soft drinks beverages business from Castel (Southern Bottlers Limited) in 2022.
We see a compelling long-term growth opportunity in Malawi that will benefit our business as well as consumers in this market.
“Our recent investments in increased production capacity and the refurbishment of our Lilongwe office further cement our commitment to growing our business and the local economy,” said Thaanyane.
Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Director
Head: Reputation & Communication
CCBA is the 8th largest Coca-Cola bottling partner in the world by revenue, and the largest on the continent.
It accounts for over 40% of all Coca-Cola products sold in Africa by volume. With over 17,000 employees in Africa, CCBA services more than 680,000 customers with a host of international and local brands.
The group was formed in July 2016 after the successful combination of the southern and east Africa bottling operations of the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages businesses of The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller plc and Gutsche Family Investments.
CCBA shareholders are currently: The Coca-Cola Company 66.5% and Gutsche Family Investments 33.5%. CCBA operates in 15 countries, including its six key markets of South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique and Namibia, as well as Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, the islands of Comoros and Mayotte, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Malawi.
