Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent said: “The Coca-Cola Company continues its momentum toward realising our 2020 Vision, with stronger brands, clear strategies and well-focused execution to drive further growth. We once again achieved financial results for both the year and the quarter in line with, or ahead of, our long-term targets, with quarterly volume and revenue growth in every one of our five geographic operating groups. Importantly, we also continued to increase our global volume and value share in 2011.
“Even as we believe that global market volatility will continue in the near term, the breadth of our global footprint and the strength of our brands create a resilient business that was built for times like these. As we enter into the third year of our 2020 Vision, our Roadmap for Winning Together remains clear. The assumptions that shaped our 2020 Vision have not changed. Our expectations for long-term, sustainable and balanced growth across emerging and developed markets have not wavered. And we will continue to make significant investments in our future all around the world to support the tremendous opportunity we see in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages, one of the fastest growing segments in consumer packaged goods.
“In a world looking for hope, optimism and renewal, Coca-Cola is privileged to be refreshing a thirsty world. Our solid performance reflects the continued investments we have made over time and in every economic condition to strengthen the health of our brands, starting with brand Coca-Cola, the very oxygen of our business. With our well-aligned global bottling system, world-class brands, strong financial discipline and a clear roadmap for growth, we are confident that we will achieve our long-term growth targets and continue to deliver increasing shareowner value. We truly believe we are just getting started and that our best and brightest days lie ahead.”
Highights
The Coca-Cola Company reported worldwide volume growth of 5% for the full year and 3% during the quarter. Excluding new cross-licensed brands in North America, primarily Dr Pepper brands (which the Company began distributing in October 2010), worldwide volume grew 4% for the full year, at the high end of our long-term growth target.
Volume growth for the full year was well-balanced across the globe, with solid growth in key developed markets such as North America, Japan and Germany and double-digit growth in key emerging markets like India and China. In addition, solid growth continued in countries with per person consumption of company brands less than 150 eight-ounce servings per year, with volume up 6% for the full year and 4% in the quarter. Immediate consumption beverages were up 4% globally in 2011, driven by focused in-store activation efforts and cold drink equipment expansion.
Worldwide still beverage volume grew 8% for the full year and 6% in the quarter, led by growth across the portfolio, including ready-to-drink teas, juices and juice drinks, energy drinks and water brands. International still beverage volume grew 10% for the full year and 7% in the quarter, and North America still beverage volume grew 4% for the full year and 3% in the quarter.
Minute Maid Pulpy continues to expand globally, with 20% volume growth in 2011. Energy drinks volume grew 19% in the quarter with broad distribution of our Burn energy brand, which is now available in nearly 80 countries.
Water volume grew 7% in the quarter with continued focus on innovative and sustainable immediate consumption packaging such as PlantBottle in North America, which is driving new customer listings, and the I LOHAS/Ecoflex lightweight crushable bottle for water brands in Asia and Latin America.
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
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