Coca-Cola system invests €22 million in New Romanian Cappy Pulpy bottling line

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, along with Dimitris Lois, Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola HBC AG and Romania Prime Minister Victor Ponta today inaugurated a new € 22 million bottling line in Ploiesti, Romania that expands the availability of Coca-Cola’s popular Cappy Pulpy Orange juice drink across Eastern and Central Europe.

“This new Cappy Pulpy bottling line is yet another example of the Coca-Cola system’s commitment to exciting innovation that meets consumers’ needs,” Muhtar Kent said. “Continuous innovation has been at the heart of our system’s journey from the very beginning when Coca-Cola was created as a delicious and refreshing beverage in 1886. Since that time, we have continued to invest to stay in step with changing and diverse local tastes around the world.”

Cappy Pulpy is a juice drink with a high quantity of fruit juice and fruit pulp chunks that requires a state-of-the-art production line to transport the liquid and fruit pulp parts of the drink separately. The juice and pulp meet in the end where they are mixed at a rate of 36,000 bottles per hour. This technology, as well as the special recipe, gives Cappy Pulpy Orange an intensely refreshing taste by preserving the qualities of the fruit pulp.

Muhtar Kent (center), Chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company together with Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta (L) and the Mayor of Ploiesti City, Iulian Badescu ( R ), at the opening of a new € 22 million bottling line for Coca-Cola’s popular Cappy Pulpy Orange juice drink.

Kent also thanked system bottling partner Coca-Cola HBC and the Romanian government for their confidence in growth in the region.

“There have been growth challenges here in recent years, as we have seen in many nations. But at Coca-Cola, we believe in investing in difficult times, building for the long-term and contributing positively to growth, economic vibrancy and prosperity,” Kent continued.

The Coca-Cola system first invested in Romania in 1991 and today employs more 1,800 people across the country with approximately nine indirect jobs created for every Coca-Cola job. Coca-Cola HBC Romania bottles Coca-Cola products in three Romanian plants and distributes them to more than 64,000 customers through a network of 20 warehouses and distribution centers.

“Our bottling plant in Ploiesti, the largest in South-Eastern Europe, is, for Coca-Cola HBC, a real center of investment and technical innovations. Four years ago, we inaugurated here two major innovations – High-Bay, the automated mega-warehouse, and the Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) – the result of a total investment of € 45 million. This year we bring again, to Romania, a major investment of over € 22 million. Thus, we are happy to be able to reconfirm, through the size and constancy of the investments made in Romania, the position of The Coca-Cola system as one of the most important investors in the Romanian economy.” said Dimitris Lois, CEO, Coca-Cola HBC AG.

Since its launch, Cappy Pulpy has enjoyed success and appreciation from consumers and customers, confirming the Romanians’ interest in innovative products. Cappy Pulpy has been strongly supported by an integrated marketing campaign, which includes TV commercials, street ads, online activations and in-store promotions. It is available throughout Romania and six countries across Central and Eastern Europe in two flavors – orange and grapefruit.