The Mexican soft drinks bottler, Grupo Continental (Contal), has said it is forecasting a 6% rise in sales for the 2003 fiscal year.

The company said the sales increase would be achieved on the back of an enhanced product range and improvements in its distribution network.

Contal added that it was also planning to invest some MXN200m (US$18.3m/€16m) in the development of a new distribution centre in Guadalajara in the west of Mexico.

Contal has an 11% share of the Mexican soft drinks sector and is one of the three largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the country.