The Coca-Cola system contributed $3.6 billion to the combined gross domestic product (GDP) of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2024, equivalent to 0.3% of the regional economy, according to a study by global consultancy Steward Redqueen.
The findings were unveiled during the 19th COMESA Business Forum, where regional leaders and business representatives gathered to discuss trade, investment and economic integration.
The study assessed the economic contribution of the Coca-Cola system, which includes the company’s bottlers, suppliers, distributors and retailers. It found that the network supported more than 458,200 jobs across the 21-member regional bloc through direct employment and its wider value chain.
The report also estimated that for every direct job created by the Coca-Cola system, another 28 jobs were supported across the regional economy.
Luis Felipe Avellar, president of Coca-Cola’s Africa Operating Unit, said the findings highlighted the role of local partnerships and supply chains in generating economic activity.
“As this study shows, the Coca-Cola system continues to deliver substantial economic impact in COMESA, creating opportunities through local partnerships, investments, and supply chains,” Avellar said.
The study further found that Coca-Cola spent nearly $1.5 billion on suppliers across COMESA in 2024, with expenditure supporting industries such as sugar production, manufacturing, packaging and logistics.
The supplier spending illustrates how the operations of large consumer goods companies extend beyond their direct activities, creating demand for goods and services from businesses across the supply chain.
However, the reported figures reflect the economic contribution attributed to the Coca-Cola system by the study and do not, on their own, establish how the benefits were distributed among individual COMESA member states or local communities.
The findings were presented at a forum focused on strengthening trade and regional integration among COMESA’s 21 member countries. Coca-Cola participated in the discussions on the contribution of private businesses to economic development.
The study’s findings come amid broader efforts across the region to expand trade, strengthen local production and attract investment that supports employment and economic growth.
Steward Redqueen conducted the study, which examined the Coca-Cola system’s contribution to the regional economy in 2024.
