Turkish executive Muhtar Kent launched the Coca-Cola operations in Romania in the early nineties when the company opened its first plants in the country. It then developed faster than rival Pepsi, which had a longer history in Romania but could not keep up.
Now, two decades later, he and Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta inaugurated a new EUR22 million bottling line and Kent said he would continue to develop the local operations.
“Cappy Pulpy made in Romania will reach more than 100 million consumers,” Muhtar Kent said.
It is about innovation and growth. Everybody needs growth: countries, businesses and individuals, Kent added.
The new line, which started production in July, bottles Cappy Pulpy, and the beverages are set to reach six countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
This is Coca-Cola’s first definite step towards exports from Romania, after having previously exported mainly water to the Republic of Moldova every now and then.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)