Inside Coca-Cola’s Global Bottling Refranchising Strategy

More than two billion servings of Coca-Cola’s drinks are consumed in more than 200 countries and territories each day.

The brand is an industry giant in beverage manufacturing with a massive global footprint.

HR Chief has analysed its global manufacturing operations through a people and leadership lens, looking at strategy, locations, investments and talent, as well as its current strategy and philosophy.

Coca-Cola's manufacturing strategy

The business is currently refranchising its bottling operations across the board, advancing an asset-light agenda by selling off its bottling operations. In 2017, the company completed the refranchising of company-owned bottling operations in the US.

In July 2025, The Coca‑Cola Company in India sold a 40% ownership stake in Hindustan Coca‑Cola Beverages to Jubilant Bhartia Group.

The Coca‑Cola Company sold its stake in Coca‑Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in 2025.

When announcing the complete refranchising of its bottling operations in the US, J. Alexander Douglas, Jr, former President of Coca‑Cola North America, said: “We are reshaping our business and accelerating our transformation to become a total beverage company.

“Our system is built to respond to consumers’ needs in a fast-moving and highly competitive environment.

"Returning the local part of our business to where it really belongs and will best perform, in the hands of local companies, is a key enabler of the exciting transformation and growth of our business.”

Coca-Cola’s global factories

Coca‑Cola and its nearly 225 independent bottling partners employ more than 700,000 people across the world.

While the company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca‑Cola and its bottling partners hire and employ people globally in a wide variety of roles.

Coca‑Cola’s bottling partners operate in Japan and Korea through a variety of partners such as Coca‑Cola Beverages Korea, Coca‑Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings and Hokkaido Coca‑Cola Bottling Co.

In the US, its bottling partners include Ozarks Coca‑Cola Bottling Company and the Coca‑Cola Bottling Company of Santa Fe.

Coca‑Cola HBC’s geographic footprint spans from the West Coast of Ireland, across Central and Eastern Europe and into Nigeria.

Bottling partner Coca‑Cola Euro Pacific has multiple manufacturing locations in Great Britain, including Sidcup, Edmonton, Milton Keynes, Wakefield, Morpeth and East Kilbride.

Coca‑Cola Beverages Africa’s subsidiary, Coca‑Cola Beverages South Africa, has 11 manufacturing plants across six provinces. Coca‑Cola Beverages Africa is also the 100% shareholder in Nairobi Bottlers Limited for bottling operations in Kenya.

Coca‑Cola’s bottling investments accounted for 13% of its net revenue in 2024, compared to 52% in 2015.

The products Coca‑Cola manufactures

Coca‑Cola’s brand extends far beyond its flagship soft drinks like Fanta, Coca‑Cola and Sprite.

The company offers a wide variety of drinks across regions, including sparkling soft drinks, still and sparkling water, dairy, fruit juices, hydration and plant‑based drinks, as well as teas and coffees.

The beverage giant’s brands include water such as Dasani, popular in the Americas, and I LOHAS in Japan. Coca‑Cola also sells Ayataka, a bottled green tea, in Japan.

Its other brands include Del Valle fruit juices, Georgia Coffee, Gold Peak tea, Powerade, Schweppes, Minute Maid, Smartwater and Vitaminwater.

Coca‑Cola’s leadership team, Henrique Braun, is CEO of The Coca‑Cola Company. He has worked in a variety of roles at Coca‑Cola, dating back to his first position in 1996. He began his duties as CEO on March 31, 2026.

John Murphy is President and Chief Financial Officer of The Coca‑Cola Company. In this role, he oversees finance, Global Strategy, Corporate Development, Investor Relations, Tax, Treasury, Audit, Accounting and Controls, Performance Management and Enterprise Services.

Manuel “Manolo” Arroyo is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Customer Commercial Officer of The Coca‑Cola Company. 

Tapaswee Chandele is Executive Vice President and Global Chief People Officer for The Coca‑Cola Company, where she leads the company’s enterprise-wide human resources strategy across more than 200 countries and territories.