South Africa: Coca-Cola Beverages Africa strengthens in Kenya

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), the Coca-Cola bottler, has acquired stakes in two Coca-Cola franchise bottlers in Kenya through its wholly-owned subsidiary Coca-Cola Sabco East Africa (CCSEA) for a combined sum of $194 million, according to a report in Food Business Africa.

CCSEA has acquired the 53.9% stake in Almasi Beverages and 27.6% stake in Nairobi Bottlers previously owned by public East African investment company Centum. Since CCSEA already held a 72.4% stake in Nairobi Bottlers, it will now become the sole owner of the company.

CCBA’s investment in Kenya follows an announcement in August that the firm had taken a 60% stake in Eswatini Beverages, a soft drinks firm based in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

CCBA is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa, with bottling operations spread across 12 countries.

Source: Food Business Africa