Cash flow from operations was $7.6bn for the year, compared with $7.1bn in the prior year, an increase of 6%.
The company achieved broad-based growth across the globe. In key emerging markets, China increased unit case volume 29%, India increased 28% and Eastern Europe increased double digits in the quarter.
Latin America delivered solid, balanced growth in unit case volume led by Mexico, increasing 6% and Brazil increasing 7% in the quarter. Europe achieved unit case volume growth of 2% in the quarter compared to 3% growth in the prior year.
In other key markets, North America unit case volume declined 3% in the quarter and unit case volume in Japan was even. Sparkling beverages increased unit case volume 2% in both the quarter and full year. Trademarks Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite contributed to the results, increasing unit case volume 2%, 3% and 6%, respectively, for the year.
International sparkling beverage unit case volume increased 4% for both the quarter and full year. Still beverage unit case volume increased 11% in the quarter and 13% for the full year, led by strong growth across the portfolio, including juice and juice drinks, teas, active lifestyle and water brands. International still beverage unit case volume increased 17% for both the quarter and full year.
Globally, the Company continued to gain volume and value share in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages as well as in core sparkling and still beverages for both the quarter and full year.
China unit case volume increased 29% in the quarter and 19% for the year. The results were led by double-digit unit case volume growth in Coca-Cola, Sprite and Minute Maid along with the successful launch of Yuan Ye, an original green leaf tea, each of which contributed to volume and value share gains in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages, as well as in sparkling and still beverages for the year.
President and CEO Muhtar Kent reiterated his goal to save $500m a year by the end of 2011: “Our highly skilled management team is assertively addressing the challenges posed by the current global economic crisis. Working in close collaboration with our bottling partners, we successfully accelerated actions, refocused investments and intensified our disciplined execution to drive results. We also made significant gains in realigning our organisational structure to generate greater productivity and in rewiring our business for sustainable results.
“We recognise that 2009 will bring many unique challenges to us and our consumers, customers, and bottling partners. Yet, I believe that our solid brand and business fundamentals – together with a fundamentally sound balance sheet, robust cash generating model and strong global bottling system – provide a sound foundation for our management team to continue driving long-term sustainable growth.”
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