Coca-Cola Europacific Partners invests over 40 million euros in its German refillable bottling infrastructure.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Germany (CCEP DE) is investing extensively in the bottling of returnable glass bottles to tap the growth potential in the out-of-home and retail market: around 40 million euros are being invested in a new bottling plant in Lüneburg. In addition, a new packaging machine for six-packs with 0.33-liter glass bottles was installed in Mönchengladbach for almost two million euros. The beverage manufacturer also plans to introduce more reusable glass containers for existing and new types of beverages over the course of the year.
Tapping into the growth potential for glass bottles
The background to the investments are market forecasts that assume further growth in the glass segment: “For the future, we see potential for growth with reusable glass for the entire category of non-alcoholic soft drinks. In the out-of-home market, we assume that the glass trend of the past few years will continue. In retail, we want to open up new potential with additional glass containers,” said Florian von Salzen, Managing Director Commercial, CCEP DE.
New bottling plant and expansion of the supply network for new glass bottles
The Coca-Cola plant in Lüneburg is getting a new reusable production line to fill small glass bottles with Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and other drinks. Investments of around 40 million euros are planned for the construction. Thirty new positions are to be created for the line, which is scheduled to go into operation by the summer of 2024. The aim is to increase production capacities for Coca-Cola & Co. in small returnable glass bottles nationwide and to supply the northeast even more regionally in the future. In addition, CCEP DE is expanding the pool of returnable bottles and the supply network for new glass bottles. Since autumn 2022, three additional locations from existing and new glass suppliers have already started producing new glass bottles for CCEP DE. Two new suppliers are currently being qualified.
New packaging line for six-packs with 0.33-liter glass bottles
CCEP DE has invested almost two million euros in a packaging system: With this, Coca-Cola is bringing its own invention – the six-pack – back 100 years after it was launched on the market in 1923. The beverage manufacturer is thus pursuing the goal of opening up new potential in food retailing with small glass containers. The six-packs of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, and mezzo mix are already rolling off the assembly line at the Coca-Cola plant in Mönchengladbach. They are expected to be available in stores in March.
New glass containers for retail and the out-of-home market
In recent years, CCEP DE has successfully introduced new reusable containers, such as the 1-liter glass bottle for Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, in 2019. The beverage manufacturer is now building on this: the capacities for the successful container were expanded in 2022. Since then, it can be bottled more regionally – in addition to Deizisau near Stuttgart in southern Germany, also in Lüneburg in northern Germany. In the course of the year, further beverages in 1-liter glass bottles will be available in stores: the flavors Fanta, Sprite, and mezzo mix, as well as selected types of Fuze Tea and ViO BiO Limo. For the out-of-home market, CCEP DE plans to expand the Fuze Tea portfolio in the 0.3-liter glass bottle by two varieties in the spring. In addition, Fanta Exotic and Fanta Lemon are introduced for retail and the out-of-home market in 0.33-liter glass containers.
Reusable remains important: 130 million euros invested in the last three years
Reusable packaging remains important in the CCEP DE packaging mix. In the last three years alone (2020 to 2022), the beverage manufacturer has invested around 130 million euros in reusable bottling: in new filling systems and components, new reusable containers, as well as in the expansion of the reusable bottle pool and in new reusable crates. The Mannheim and Lüneburg production sites put two new returnable systems for glass bottles into operation in 2019. In recent years, CCEP DE has converted existing bottling plants in three plants in order to introduce new reusable containers: the 1-liter glass bottle for Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, the 0.4 liter glass bottle with screw cap for Coca-Cola and other core brands as well the 0.3 liter glass bottle for ViO spritzers, ViO BiO lemonades and fuze tea black tea peach and lemon.
About Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GmbH
With a sales volume of more than 3.5 billion liters (2021), Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Deutschland GmbH (CCEP DE) is the largest German beverage company. CCEP DE is responsible for the bottling, sale and distribution of Coca-Cola branded products in Germany. The company looks after around 325,000 retail and catering customers and employs a good 6,500 people. CCEP DE is part of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).
Source: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners