Kenya has announced a significant investment from Coca-Cola, with the company committing $175 million over the next five years to expand its operations in the country. President William Ruto highlighted this as a major milestone for Coca-Cola’s presence in Kenya and across Africa, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration for growth.
President Ruto acknowledged Coca-Cola’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting its partnership with Amref Health Africa to manufacture PPE. This initiative empowered young women to produce affordable masks and surgical gowns, which were distributed nationwide.
“Coca-Cola has been a prominent corporate presence in Kenya and Africa, growing as a brand and manufacturing giant while serving as a partner in employment creation, economic development, and emergency response. Our partnership has allowed us to grow together,” he said. “Today, we must sustain our engagement and collaboration to enable us to face the challenges and seize opportunities of the future, together as partners.”
Luisa Ortega, President of The Coca-Cola Company’s Africa Operating Unit, emphasised the importance of collaboration with the government to create a stable policy environment. “The Coca-Cola system has been part of communities in Kenya for more than seven decades. We are excited to continue growing our business and supporting communities across Kenya for many years to come,” said Ortega.
The Coca-Cola Company is a major employer in East Africa, directly employing 10,000 people. The company also works with over 500,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises across the region, connecting directly with the experiences of many businesses in Kenya and the East African region. “Our value chain supports livelihoods for over a million people in distribution, sales, and other roles,” noted Ortega.
Gupta highlighted the company’s commitment to the local economy, stating, “We source close to 8,000 metric tons of mango puree from East African farmers. We believe in the region’s potential and its ability to achieve significant growth through collaboration between public and private sectors. Our business in Kenya is centered on a local approach – we hire locally, produce locally, distribute locally, and source locally.”
The visit concluded with the signing of an investment deal, further strengthening economic ties between Kenya and the USA. President Ruto is on a four-day state visit to the United States at the invitation of President Joe Biden. This marks the first state visit by a Kenyan president to the US in two decades and the first by an African leader in 16 years. President Ruto is scheduled to meet with President Biden on Thursday, May 23rd, in Washington, DC.
