TANZANIA – Coca-Cola Kwanza, Tanzanian subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), has appointed Unguu Sulay as the new Managing Director with effective 28th June 2021.

Mr Sulay takes over the helm of the company from Andrew Musingo, who was the CEO of the organization since January 2020.

The new appointee brings on board extensive leadership experience in risk and compliance, business strategy and governance.

He joins Coca-Cola Kwanza from Plasco Limited where he was the Chief Financial Officer. Mr Sulay has also worked at Alliance One Tobacco, Tanga Cement and Tanzania Cigarette Company (TCC), holding different capacities.

According to the soft beverage manufacturer, he is an alumni of the CEO Apprenticeship Program facilitated by the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania.

Other than the naming of its new CEO, Coca-Cola Kwanza has recently undertaken strategic changes of its executive team appointing Haji Ally as the Logistics Director since January 2021.

Prior to his current appointment, he served as Public Affairs and Communications Director at the company for three years.

Mr Ally was replaced at his former role with Salum Nassor, who held various roles of increasing responsibility at Coca-Cola Kwanza in sales, planning and manufacturing.

Shortly afterwards, Coca-Cola appointed Hassan Waziri as the New Manufacturing Director in February 2021.

He joined the company from AB InBev and Tanzania Breweries Limited where he held senior manufacturing leadership roles across East and South Africa.

Most recently he led the expansion of Rosslyn Brewery in South Africa as Plant Manager and prior to that he was Brewery Operation Director, East Africa overseeing operations across Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.

Mr Waziri’s appointment was followed with the assigning of the Finance Director’s role to Emmanuel Kyarwenda in May 2021.

Mr Emmanuel was previously the Finance Manager of Kilombero Sugar and has also had a stint at Tanzania Cigarette Company, National Housing Corporation and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The newly appointed executives will work alongside Eric Ongara the Sales and Marketing Execution Director, Josephine Msalilwa the Business Development and Commercialization Director, and Scolastika Augustine the Human Resources Director, under the leadership of Mr Sulay.

Coca-Cola shifts from green-colored sprite bottle to clear plastic in Kenya

“Our people in Kenya can now enjoy the refreshing taste of their favourite sparkling lemon-lime drink knowing their bottle can be easily recycled and made into new items.”

Xavi Selga – Managing Director Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) – Kenya

Meanwhile, CCBA’s operation in Kenya has unveiled a new look of its leading soft drink Sprite.

The lemon-lime flavoured Sprite will now be packaged in a clear PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottle, marking a historic shift from the green-coloured plastic bottle which has been its identity since 1960 when it was first launched.

This shift means more Sprite bottles can be collected, recycled and reused to make new items, in line with Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste vision, which targets to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells by 2030, as well as use 50 per cen recycled content in all its packaging.

“Our people in Kenya can now enjoy the refreshing taste of their favourite sparkling lemon-lime drink knowing their bottle can be easily recycled and made into new items.

“This is a plus in our joint efforts to grow our business while contributing towards more sustainable environmental practices,” said Xavi Selga, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) – Kenya.

Clear PET can be recycled and re-used to make a wider range of new products, such as pillow and duvet inners, as well as new bottles, making it more valuable than green PET, which has limited uses.

Kenya becomes the fourth African market where Coca-Cola has introduced the Sprite clear PET, after South Africa, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Coca-Cola Sprite’s new transparent look features a clear see-through bottle, refreshed icon of the brand’s bold Sprite ‘spark’ with a distinct label and bright green cover.