Zambian Breweries has finalised the sale of its Coca-Cola bottling business to Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in a move that paves the way for it to focus fully on its clear beer operations.
The transaction follows shareholder and regulatory approval and is part of Coca-Cola’s wider restructuring of its bottling and distribution business across Africa in the wake of the acquisition of Zambian Breweries’ parent company SAB Miller by AB InBev in 2016.
Under the agreement in Zambia, identified employees have all received letters of employment from CCBA’s new company, Kalundu Beverages Limited, trading as Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia, and officially transferred with the business.
“I am very pleased that throughout this process we were able to keep everyone’s jobs and believe that the new company’s focus on soft drinks with CCBA at its helm will be beneficial for the growth of the soft drinks category in Zambia,” said Zambia Breweries country director Jose Moran.
“I wish the soft drinks team and our former colleagues all the best in this new adventure. The team will of course remain our friends and we look forward to catching up from time-to-time”, He added.
Zambian Breweries will continue to manufacture and bottle Coca-Cola soft drinks under a “co-packaging” contract with Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia (CCBZ).
CCBZ is a separate legal entity, unrelated to Zambian Breweries Plc, an ultimately owned by the Coca-Cola Company, which will now which will now distribute and market its brand.
The agreement enables Zambian Breweries to focus on its core business of producing and distributing clear beer brands including Mosi Lager, Castle, Carling Black Label, Eagle, Stella Artois, and Budweiser, added Mr. Moran.
Can some one tell us where the glass and plastic bottles used in Zambia are made ??
Plastics bottles are made right there in the Plant at Zambian Breweries while glass bottles are imported and filled in Zambia
“Zambian Breweries finalises the sale of its Coca-Cola bottling business”…why dont you learn Financial articles ..was this side of the business bottling only coke..why not “Zambian Breweries finalises the sale of its soft drink bottling business” or “Zambian Breweries finalises the sale of its subsidiary soft drink bottling business”
As usual they haven’t named the transaction price and whether it was concluded in Zambia for tax purposes. Can Margaret Mwanakatwe and villger from Malole Yaluma take an interest and ensure that appropriate sales and property transfer taxes are deducted in full?
For all we know the company is registered in Mauritius…its appalling reporting
Hope there will be an improvement in Coca-Cola availability. Coca-Cola especially bottled has been very difficult to find.
Zambian breweries destroyed totally the confidence and trust in people or consumers of coca cola products the quality was compromised.