A comprehensive socio-economic impact study, conducted by global consulting firm Steward, reveals that the Coca-Cola system in South Africa – comprising Coca-Cola and its authorised bottlers – alongside a broad network of local suppliers, distributors, and retailers, contributed R51.2bnon in value-added economic activity in 2024.
Luis Avellar, president of the Africa Operating Unit of The Coca Cola Company. Source: Coca-Cola
“This new independent study highlights the scale of the Coca-Cola system’s contribution to South Africa’s economy, employment, and communities,” said Luis Felipe Avellar, president of the Africa operating unit of The Coca‑Cola Company, ahead of the 2026 South Africa Investment Conference, where the Coca-Cola system will participate as a sponsor.
Through its value chain, the Coca-Cola system supported over 87,000 jobs through suppliers, partners, and customers. This means that for every direct job created by the system, 10 more jobs were supported across South Africa’s economy.
“Our business is interconnected with local communities, we hire locally, produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally, helping to build a stronger, more integrated economy in South Africa,” Avellar said.
Charl Goncalves, managing firector of Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages, emphasised the system’s focus on partnerships: “We remain committed to creating opportunity for our people, our partners, and the communities we serve.”
The study also highlights the Coca-Cola system’s strong local integration, with R25.6bn worth of goods and services sourced from suppliers in South Africa in 2024.
Source: Coca-Cola
This local procurement supports industries as diverse as sugar production, packaging, transportation, and marketing, reinforcing the Coca-Cola system’s role as a partner for growth in South Africa’s economic development.
“South Africa remains one of our most strategic markets in Africa — the beginning of a legacy that dates back to Coca-Cola’s first entry on the continent in 1928. These findings reaffirm the Coca-Cola system’s role as a key driver of shared value and sustainable growth within the South African economy,” said Sunil Gupta, CEO, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.
The Coca-Cola system has strengthened its footprint in South Africa through sustained investment and innovation, including the launch of a new bottling line at CCBSA’s manufacturing facility in Midrand.
This investment highlights the system’s commitment to investing, producing, and distributing locally, while contributing to South Africa’s social and economic development.
The Coca-Cola system’s contribution extends beyond economic impact. South Africa is one of the beneficiaries of the Africa Water Stewardship Initiative, a nearly $25m investment through 2030 to help address critical water-related challenges in local communities in 20 African countries.
The study conducted by Steward Redqueen measured the direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of the Coca-Cola system in South Africa, combining company operational data with trusted third-party economic sources.
The analysis demonstrates how Coca-Cola’s local operations ripple across the economy – from farmers growing sugarcane to retailers selling beverages – creating jobs, generating income, and building opportunities.
