Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Uganda) which runs Century Bottling Company [Coca-Cola products] and Rwenzori Bottling Company has opened a $10m (Shs38 billion) state of the art brand new Rwenzori Pure Natural Water Line at Namanve Industrial park in Mukono District.
Speaking at the event, Conrad Van Niekerk, the Managing Director CCBA, said the brand new manufacturing line will enable them to bottle more Rwenzori Pure Natural Mineral Water for Ugandans.
He said the USD10 million (UGX38 billion) investment brings to Uganda the newest bottling line technology out of Germany, by KHS.
“This will enable us to innovate further for the increasingly changing consumer demands,” Conrad said.
The new production plant was commissioned by the minister of Trade Industries and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde who commended the beverage company for supporting government’s industrialization initiative which she said is key in creating employment opportunities for Ugandans.
“Investing US$10 million in our economy is very significant towards fighting the problem of unemployment in the country. Government is committed to supporting all investors willing to invest their resources in our country Uganda. Investing in a new manufacturing line creates more jobs for very many categories of Ugandans which fulfils the government pledge to create more jobs and wealth especially for the youth of Uganda,” the minister said on Tuesday during the commissioning of the facility whose construction commenced in 2018.
Ms Kyambadde said that Uganda is among the countries in the region with a conducive atmosphere for the private sector because government has tried to improve the business environment through investing more resources in the development of infrastructures such as roads, energy sector and ICT.
“The cost of Doing Business in Uganda has improved because of Improved Infrastructures in place. Years ago, the cost of Doing Business was very expensive due to high cost of power, poor road network but all these have been worked on by the government,” she said.
The CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Mr. Jacques Vermeulen, said the investment commitment of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Uganda), runs three subsidiaries bottling Coca-Cola products (Century Bottling Company), pure natural mineral water (Rwenzori Bottling Company) and recycling of plastic waste taken from the environment (Plastic Recycling Industries).
The Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, Hon. Evelyn Anite officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony on 20th April 2018 and by December 2018, the line installation was complete.
The new Rwenzori Pure Natural Mineral Water line investment is part of a US$15 million investment plan that Coca-Cola Beverages Africa had for Uganda in 2018.
