The Coca-Cola Company and its authorised bottlers contributed R51.2 billion in value-added economic activity across South Africa in 2024, supporting more than 87,000 direct and indirect jobs across retail, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and services sectors, according to an independent socio-economic impact study released this week.
The study, conducted by global consulting firm Steward Redqueen, measured the direct, indirect and induced economic effects of the Coca-Cola system in the country, drawing on company operational data and third-party economic sources.
Luis Felipe Avellar, President of the Africa operating unit of The Coca-Cola Company, presented the findings at a media briefing hosted by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, ahead of the 2026 South Africa Investment Conference, where the Coca-Cola system participates as a sponsor.
Local procurement at the core
The system purchased R25.6 billion worth of goods and services from South African suppliers in 2024, supporting industries including sugar production, packaging, logistics and marketing. Company executives described local sourcing as a central pillar of their economic contribution strategy.
For every direct job created within the Coca-Cola system, an estimated ten additional jobs are supported across the broader South African economy, the study found, a multiplier effect that the company says reflects the depth of its integration into local supply chains.
The system has expanded production capacity through the launch of a new bottling line at Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s manufacturing facility in Midrand, which the company cited as part of ongoing investments to support industrial growth.
Beyond economic output
South Africa is among the 20 African countries benefiting from the Africa Water Stewardship Initiative, a nearly $25 million investment running through 2030 designed to address water-related challenges in local communities.
Sunil Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, described South Africa as one of the company’s most strategic markets on the continent, with a presence dating to Coca-Cola’s first African entry in 1928.
The findings arrive as South Africa works to attract foreign and domestic investment, with multinational companies increasingly making public the scale of their local economic footprint ahead of the annual investment conference.
