Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, its bottling partners, fruit suppliers, and processors in India, will invest $1.7 billion in India’s agricultural ecosystem over the next 5 years, according to the company. The company’s Fruit Circular Economy concept will span the entire supply chain from fruit orchards to the final product. “The investments announced today by Coca-Cola will further catalyze economic growth and create new opportunities for farmers and local suppliers,” said T. Krishnakumar, president, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia
$800 million will be reserved for procuring fruit pulp and fruit concentrate for the company’s juice and juice drinks and carbonated drinks with juice products. The remaining will be invested on manufacturing lines, bottling infrastructure, fruit processing plants and equipment, and agriculture interventions that facilitate sustainable agriculture. Coca-Cola’s technology and production methods will conserve soil, water, energy and biological resources, reports the Business Standard. The company says that over 200,000 farmers will benefit from this plan of sourcing fruit pulp and fruit concentrate out of 2.10 million tons of fruit.
