CCBA expands production capacity in Africa, steps up youth and women empowerment

AFRICA – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is investing in expanding its production capabilities by installing a new production line at Coca-Cola Beverages Botswana’s (CCBB) Gaborone factory which will help reduce energy consumption, improve productivity, and open up export opportunities to neighboring countries.

The company said pieces of machinery for the new line have started arriving and the line will be operational at the end of March 2023.

According to CCBA, the factory will have state-of-the-art technology that allows for faster and more efficient production of polyethylene phthalate (PET) bottled products, increasing productivity and producing bottles with higher clarity and strength.

The line will be designed to be more energy efficient, reducing the environmental impact and energy costs, and also incorporating improved safety features that will reduce the risk of accidents.

The new line can produce a wider range of 2L PET products, which offer greater flexibility in responding to consumer demands.

CCBB General Manager David Chait said: “Botswana has a highly skilled workforce; the government is very supportive of investment and it is a rapidly growing market for PET products. We believe that with the installation of the new line, there will be greater availability and diversity of products for our consumers.”

“…Besides expanding the production and distribution chain in the company, this investment will also promote employment, bringing gains not only for our organization but also for the country.”

He noted that the country is strategically located, and well-connected to other African countries, making it possible for the company to export its products to other markets.

The investment follows a US$4 million investment in a new polyethylene phthalate (PET) plastic bottle production line at CCBA’s Nampula factory in Mozambique.

The investment was envisaged to contribute to employment creation and economic development in the region and cater to a consumer preference for lighter plastic bottles, which are easier to carry than glass.

The Nampula plant produces approximately 14,400 bottles of 200ml PET bottles per hour, cutting down on transport costs and CO2 emissions, CCBA said. The new line in the plant has helped bring Coca-Cola products closer to the Northern region which had relied on supplies from the Central region, over 1 000km away.

CCBA in Mozambique managing director, Duncan Wyness averred that the installation of the new line in Nampula will bring a greater availability and diversity of products to the consumers and also eliminate the basic logistical problems of transporting products from other factories to the Nampula factory.

Youth and Women Empowerment

10,000 youth in 10 higher education institutions will be enrolled in a digital coaching and mentorship program called Boundless Minds in partnership with CCBA through Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU).

The partnership with Boundless Minds was launched today as part of CCBU’s economic inclusion commitments, under the theme “Letter to My 20-year-old Self”.

CCBU’s youth economic inclusion program was launched in 2020 at the peak of COVID-19 to bridge the mentorship gap created by the closure of schools. The program continues to equip youth with work-readiness skills to support their school-to-work transition.

In this program year, the initiative will equip students with money management skills, building a career, entrepreneurship, career mapping, personal branding, and people management skills, among others.

Kirunda Magoola, Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability Director of CCBU noted that young adults are often not equipped with soft skills.

Magoola added that CCBU aims to create inclusive growth opportunities for women, youth, and people with disabilities by defining a consistent way of implementing economic inclusion programs across markets and leveraging leading practices for implementing the programs.

Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in partnership with the Tourism Training Institute has launched a training to hundreds of youth and women to deliver high standards of professional service in customer service excellence, communication skills, and a service mindset.

According to CCBA, a total of 400 participants from different walks of life attended the “We Serve” training aimed at helping them to take their customer service skills to the next level.

In another partnership with Efoy Nanny and Housekeeping Training Center, CCBA in Ethiopia empowered 50 unemployed women with its bursary study program to be trained in childcare services, as well as financial literacy.

The women successfully completed their mandated internship programs and have been granted employment opportunities at various public childcare centers, day care centers, and special needs learning institutions.

Nigus Alemu, Public Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability Director at CCBA in Ethiopia said the company’s aim was to create greater shared opportunity for the business and the communities it serves across the value chain.

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