Coca-Cola celebrates 60th anniversary of vibrant operations in Sri Lanka

Coca-Cola Sri Lanka MD Pankaj Sinha and Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka MD Mayank Arora 

By Pankaj Sinha and Mayank Arora

A resplendent Ceylon welcomed The Coca-Cola Company to its shores in 1961, as it established its factory in Union Place, Colombo through the bottler, Pure Beverages Co. Ltd. 

As one of the first American companies to enter the island six decades ago, it was a bold move considering that institutional value chains and logistics were not fully developed at the time; but over the six decades, the company has developed a strong network of partners. 

The Coca-Cola Company purpose in Sri Lanka remains clear: to refresh the nation and make a difference. At the same time, Coca-Cola has silently broken new ground with impactful environmental and social projects that deliver enduring value to the nation and refresh spirits amongst communities. 

The Coca-Cola Company, which celebrates its 60th anniversary of its operations in the island this year, has indeed had an impressive run, building a family of consumers and a host of valuable public and private partnerships. 

Its entry as the world’s largest beverage brand into Sri Lanka signalled to other global investors and multinationals around the world that Sri Lanka was a market ripe for investment back in the 1960s. Coca-Cola has stayed the course in the island since it truly believes the country’s potential to be one of Asia’s economic superpowers. 

By establishing its footprint in Sri Lanka, Coca-Cola has invested in the future of its business, demonstrating long-term commitment. To put it into context, FDIs in Sri Lanka averaged $ 162.71 million from 2001 until 2020 as per Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Against this, the Coca-Cola system has invested $ 99 million in Sri Lanka over the past two decades. 

In addition, the company’s economic value creation includes the creation of more than 2,300 jobs directly and indirectly across manufacturing, transport and retail to benefit the economy. This is just the tip of the iceberg – as Coca-Cola’s value chain supports an intricate network of retailers and distributors, while supporting tens of thousands of businesses and small retailers through general, modern trade and online delivery. The company has many firsts to its credits in Sri Lanka, being the first company to implement Route Sales planning and distribution management and being a pioneer in outdoor advertising. 

Moreover, the company has helped develop the national sport of cricket in the island, guided by its purpose to support the passion of its consumers. Coca-Cola is the official beverage partner of International Cricket Council and has supported Sri Lanka cricket in the past as an official carbonated beverage partner and through innovative campaigns drumming up support for the Sri Lankan Cricket team during the ICC World Cup. Coca-Cola was also a global partner for cricket during the country’s win at the 1996 Cricket World Cup. 

The company has also nurtured the sport at the grassroots level through The Coca-Cola Cricket Pathways Program to provide a platform for young cricketers from across the country to showcase their talent and learn cricketing skills from some of the country's top coaches and past cricketers.

Coca-Cola acts in ways to create a more sustainable and better shared future by making a difference in people's lives, communities and our planet by doing business the right way. Women are key to the world’s shared success. As part of the 5by20 initiative, the company has organised training programs to empower 5,500+ women with business skills training and facilitated 500+ women with asset placements across the country during the past eight years. 

Driving a circular economy, increasing export earnings and expanding livelihood opportunities for local communities, Coca-Cola’s ‘Give Back Life’ campaign is working to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle it sells to achieve PET neutrality in Sri Lanka, in line with its global target by 2030 for a ‘World Without Waste’. The programme has grown to a network of over 90 partnerships with private, public, civil society entities, setting up PET collection bins in over 300 locations and Regional PET collection centres in the most strategic cities of northern, southern, eastern and western Sri Lanka.

In its sustainable water commitment, the company has undertaken several projects such as the implementation of reverse osmosis plants, rainwater harvesting systems, bio-filter septic tanks and rehabilitation of ancient reservoirs, aligned with the mandate given by the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to restore the nation’s ancient water tanks not only for paddy cultivation but also to meet the needs for drinking water and other irrigation requirements. 

As a result of the rehabilitation of three ancient water reservoirs in Anuradhapura and Monaragala by Coca-Cola, the company has achieved 203% water positivity, which meant that for every litre of water used for the production of its beverages, it returns two litres in turn to the local communities.

The Coca-Cola brand is inextricably woven into the social and cultural mosaic of Sri Lanka today, usually the first to respond to ‘make a difference’ during times of natural disasters and other crises, delivering aid during floods, tsunami and most recently, the COVID-19 outbreak. Coca-Cola has pledged Rs. 130 million as its contribution to fight the pandemic and to help marginalised people such as daily wage-earners, and this contribution is enhancing capacity in critical healthcare and strengthening the government’s preparedness and response during the pandemic.

Over the years, Coca-Cola has pledged its support to social investment in Sri Lanka along with adding economic value to the nation, thereby winning a place in the hearts and minds of local consumers as a total beverage company. The Coca-Cola Company in Sri Lanka demonstrates strong consumer-centricity with world-class products and an astute focus on corporate citizenship.

Coca-Cola has been refreshing Sri Lankans for over 59 years, continuously evolving to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love. Our company’s purpose is to Refresh the World and Make a Difference. To serve our valued consumers better, we are now providing more convenient packages, innovating, and introducing new lower and no-sugar drinks. 

Following the introduction of Trademark Coca-Cola, we now have a wide range of brands in our portfolio including Coke Light, Coke Zero, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Fanta Orange, Fanta Cream Soda, Fanta Pineapple, Portello, Lion Soda, Lion Ginger Beer and Kinley water, providing consumers across the island with a variety of delicious and hydrating beverage options. 

We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities, and the planet through our sustainability initiatives on packaging recycling, water replenishment, and ensuring the well-being of our local communities, through women empowerment programs. 

 

(Pankaj Sinha is Managing Director, Coca-Cola Sri Lanka Ltd. and Mayank Arora is Managing Director at Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Ltd.)