UK – The Coca-Cola Company has announced a strategic reorganization of its Costa Coffee and Innocent Drinks brands, which will transition to report directly to its Europe operating unit beginning January 1, 2025.
The move aims to streamline Coca-Cola’s reporting structure and foster closer integration with its regional operations. Coca-Cola reassured that the reorganization will not entail significant employment changes, as most current roles within these brands will remain unchanged.
Previously managed under Coca-Cola’s Global Ventures group—created in 2019 to oversee Costa Coffee, Innocent Drinks, and other investments like Monster Beverage Corp.—the shift marks a departure from the centralized Global Ventures model.
John Murphy, Coca-Cola’s President and Chief Financial Officer, explained, “As we look to our next chapter of growth, we have evaluated how to best set ourselves up for future success with these growth areas, and we believe now is the right time to have them work more directly with our operating units.”
Innocent, which Coca-Cola acquired in 2009, will now be integrated directly under the Europe unit, focusing on enhancing its alignment with Coca-Cola’s broader European operations.
Costa Coffee will remain a stand-alone brand within the Europe unit, headquartered in London, where most of its retail and Costa Express outlets are concentrated, although its ready-to-drink businesses outside of Europe will report through local operating units.
Türkiye-based tea brand Dogadan, part of Coca-Cola since 2007, will now report directly to Costa’s European retail operations, reflecting recent collaboration with Costa.
Additionally, Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster will be overseen by John Murphy, with operational oversight transitioning to regional units, and the Global Ventures group will be dissolved.
To accommodate the new structure, Coca-Cola plans to release recast financial data for 2022–2024 by early 2025, providing insights into the organizational impact.
Coca-Cola opens plant in Florida
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida) celebrated the opening of a new 28,000-square-foot Sales and Distribution Center in Silver Springs Boulevard, Ocala.
Representing a US$10 million investment, the center will serve as a permanent hub for Coca-Cola’s local operations in Florida.
Thomas Benford, Coke Florida’s President and Chief Operating Officer, remarked: “We’re seeing a tremendous amount of opportunity in the Ocala market. As a business, Coke Florida is always striving to meet customer demand through improved service and product availability, while supporting continued growth and strengthening our presence and partnerships in the greater Ocala area.”
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