Coca-Cola prepares potential flotation of Indian bottling arm

The Coca-Cola Company is preparing for a potential public listing of Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings (HCCH), the parent entity of bottler Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), on India’s Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). The move follows the acquisition of a 40% stake in HCCH by the Indian family-owned conglomerate Jubilant Bhartia Group last July.

In a statement issued on 1 June, The Coca-Cola Company confirmed it is considering a possible public listing for next year. Early work has begun on the flotation, which remains subject to market conditions and regulatory and other approvals. The US group intends to sell part of its stake in HCCH through the listing but plans to remain invested in the business.

Sanket Ray, president of The Coca-Cola Company's operations in India and south-west Asia, described the announcement as an important step for HCCB. He noted that under the leadership of its partners in the Jubilant Bhartia Group, the bottler will be well placed to continue pursuing growth following the listing.

The Coca-Cola Company stated that the possible listing would mark a significant milestone, positioning the business to capitalise on opportunities in the Indian market. Ray added that the company will focus on growing its portfolio of global and local brands in India while maintaining its investment in the bottler.

HCCB and its parent were established in 1997. As of 31 March, the group operated with more than 2,000 distributors and employed around 5,000 staff. The bottler runs 14 plants across ten Indian states and works with eight co-packers to manufacture, package, distribute, and sell The Coca-Cola Company’s portfolio, including brands such as Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, and Fanta.

The original reporting was created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData-owned brand, and republished via Yahoo Finance.