Business

Iconic international giant pumping R17.6 billion into South Africa

Staff Writer

 ·1 Apr 2026

Iconic global drink giant, Coca-Cola, has pledged R17.6 billion in planned investment in South Africa over the next three and a half years.

Luis Felipe Avellar, president of The Coca-Cola Company’s Africa operating unit, made the pledge at the 2026 South African Investment Conference.

The conference, which has been held every year since 2018, is the vehicle driving President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to mobilise R2 trillion in private-sector investment by 2028.

Coca-Cola and its authorised bottlers, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages, announced the investment in service of this goal.

According to the group, the investment will support expanded production capacity, strengthen distribution and accelerate innovation across the Coca-Cola system’s value chain.

It is also a show of confidence in the country as an investment destination, as well as the strength of the South African market and its long-term economic prospects.

“Our R17.6 billion investment reflects our strong belief in South Africa’s potential and our commitment to growing alongside the communities we serve,” Avellar said.

“We hire locally, produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally, helping to build a stronger, more integrated economy in South Africa.”

The investment announcement follows the recent news of Coca-Cola HBC’s agreement to acquire a majority stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA).

Coca-Cola HBC AG acquired a majority stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in October 2025 for R45 billion, creating the second-largest bottling partner for the drink by volume globally. 

Coca-Cola HBC was founded in 1951 in Nigeria as the Nigerian Bottling Company. At the time of the acquisition, it operated in 29 countries on 3 continents.

After buying 75% of Johannesburg-based CCBA, it added 14 African markets to its portfolio.

Citing research by global consulting firm Steward Redqueen, the company said that its economic contribution to South Africa in 2024 amounted to R51.2 billion.

This is expected to grow as it continues to invest in local operations.

Through its value chain, the group said it supported over 87,000 jobs across sectors such as retail, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and services.

This included 7,822 direct jobs within the Coca-Cola system, and an estimated 79,300 jobs supported through suppliers, partners and customers.

“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,” said Sunil Gupta, CEO, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.

“These findings reaffirm the Coca-Cola system’s role as a key driver of shared value and sustainable growth within the South African economy.”

More investment to come

Addressing the nation this week, Ramaphosa announced that the government was working towards a new private investment goal, seeking to mobilise R2 trillion by 2028.

He noted that the country began its investment drive in 2018, aiming to attract R1.2 trillion in new projects.

In the years that followed, the government secured pledges in mining, healthcare, automotive, food and beverage, and other sectors.

At the end of the first five-year investment mobilisation drive in 2024, investment exceeded the target by 26%, securing pledges valued at R1.57 trillion.

The president said the country is now prepared to showcase its renewed and more favourable position as an investment destination by extending the goal even further.

In addition to the R17.6 billion investment from Coca-Cola, other investments were announced at the conference.

This includes a R9 billion commitment from open-access fibre infrastructure group, Maziv.

This significant capital commitment, spanning the next 5 years, includes a dedicated pledge to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs over 7 years.

The pledge follows the approval by the Competition Commission and ICASA of Vodacom’s acquisition of a 30% stake in Maziv.

Other major pledges include a R10.4 billion investment by Toyota in KwaZulu-Natal to support the automotive sector’s energy transition.

Meanwhile, Sasol committed R60 billion to modernising operations in Mpumalanga and the Free State.