BRAZIL: Coca-Cola Co to invest $5.8bn in Brazil

Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola Co is to invest US$5.8bn in Brazil over the next five years.

The company confirmed today (24 November) that investment will grow above 75% between 2010 and 2014, in addition to hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, which are expected to present further opportunities for growth.

"Brazil is one of the top Coca-Cola markets worldwide," said CEO Muhtar Kent. "Over the past 25 years, our sales volume in the nation grew by 50 percent."

Coca-Cola opened the "first of many" 'green' plants in Brazil last week.

Located in Rio Grande, in the Greater Curitiba area, the Leão Junior plant - which makes Matte Leão tea - will have the capacity to produce around 11,000 tonnes of different types of dried teas per year, the company said.

"This is the first of many 'green' plants for the Coca-Cola Brasil System," said Marco Simões, vice president of communication and sustainability at Coca-Cola Brasil. "In accordance with our sustainability goals, all new units and those that are remodeled will follow the LEED certification concepts."

In addition to the plant, the company is launching a new product based on the concept of sustainability: Matte Granel Orgânico is the first organic product offered by the Coca-Cola system in Latin America and involves "environmental improvements focused on sustainability" along the entire production chain, the company claims.

Last week Coca-Cola said it aims to double annual sales generated by it and its bottling system by 2020.