MOLDOVA: Coca-Cola closes its factory in Chisinau | Progresiv

Coca-Cola HBC company, the largest player on the local soft drinks market, announced the cease of bottling activities in Chisinau. The market of Moldova will continue to be supplied from factories in Romania and Ukraine.

“Coca-Cola bottling operation Chisinau announces strengthening its business by expanding existing sourcing from Romania and Ukraine. As a result, activity will cease bottling in Chisinau. This decision is the result of a continuous process of analyzing the infrastructure owned by Coca-Cola Bottling Chisinau and is part of our strategy to streamline and long-term development, further supporting investments in the retail market in Moldova, "the company said into a statement.

“Coca-Cola Bottling Chisinau announces strengthening its business by expanding existing the supplier source from Romania and Ukraine. As a result, bottling activity will cease in Chisinau. This decision is the result of a continuous process of analyzing the infrastructure owned by Coca-Cola Bottling Chisinau and is part of our strategy to streamline and long-term development, further supporting investments in the retail market in Moldova”, the company said in statement.

Currently, the factory in Chisinau has 155 employees and 28 of them are working in the production department.

Coca-Cola began its activity in 1994 in Chisinau, with storage and distribution activities. In August 1996 it began installing the bottling line for 250 ml bottles, in 2009 the production hall was rebuilt and replaced the existing bottling line with one for PET bottles with a capacity of 12 thousand bottles per hour. The official opening of "Coca-Cola Bottling Chisinau", after reconstruction, was held in May 2011, and now, after four years the company abandons the local bottling activity.

Following the closure of factory, part of the Moldovan market distribution will be made from the production plants in Romania. Coca-Cola HBC owns three local factories - in Ploiesti, Timisoara and Vatra Dornei and a chain of 14 distribution centers. In Romania, sales of Coca-Cola HBC soft drinks increased with a low single digit (5-9%), with consistent performance across the entire product portfolio.