Coca-Cola on Mondaysaid it will contribute, along with its parters, over $1.7 billion (Rs10,943 crore) in next five years to the Indian agriculture ecosystem.
To be contributed by the company, its bottling partners, fruit suppliers and processors, the amount will be for the entire supply chain from “grove to glass through a concept called ‘Fruit Circular Economy’,” Coca-Cola India said in a statement.
“Close to $800 million (Rs5,150 crore) of this contribution would be towards procurement of processed fruit pulp and fruit concentrate for the Coca-Cola Company’s ever increasing portfolio of juice and juice drinks and carbonated drinks with juice products in India,” it said.
The company further said it is also working on a transitional journey focused on creating sustainable agriculture by using a variety of Indian fruits in its beverages under juice and aerated drinks categories.
Through this initiative company’s bottling arm Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, 13 other independent franchise bottlers and fruit processing companies – will invest around $900 million (Rs5,793 crore) over the next 5 years.