Coca-Cola foresees acquisitions in Latin America

A constant movement to launch products and leave for new acquisitions will be in the focus of Zarazúa Xiemar, that will leave the command of Coca-Cola Brazil in October after eight years in Office. He will assume the Vice President of the company''s strategic projects for Latin America. Of Mexican origin, passes the baton to Henry Braun, Brazil was ahead of China and Korea unit.
"In Latin America there are huge conditions. We''ve come consolidating the areas where we are and where we''re not, we need to get in. We have an appetite for all categories. Or launched or bought, "he said, referring to the opportunities for Brazil and neighboring countries.
Under the management of Xiemar, one of the most enduring Presidents of Coca-Cola Brazil, the company purchased, at the end of 2015, the Green field, Dairy of Lavras, Minas Gerais. In June, it was the turn of Latin America product line for Ades, the anglo-Dutch Unilever. The acquisition was made in partnership with the Mexican soft drink bottler Femsa.
When Xiemar came to Brazil, Coca-Cola had just bought the Lion Junior, of teas. A year earlier had acquired juices Del Valle, which led the Executive leading the restructuring of the product portfolio.
In parallel, there was a repositioning of the number of franchisees-bottling companies trademark products. From 16 to 10, with mergers and acquisitions among bottlers.
These consolidation movements, according to Xiemar (as the team calls the President born in Monterrey), they brought in a larger scale and reduced costs, helping the company to better position itself to face shrinkage scenarios on economic activity, as the current. "We prepare for difficult times and we did that very well. At the time we moved, we had no such intention, but the result was that we strengthen us. We are suffering, of course, like everyone else, but prepared. I doubt find a company in Brazil that is not worried, "he said.
According to Xiemar, up to 2015 was growth between 3% to 4%, but this year there has been a fall. He does not cite numbers, but Sicobe survey (production control system), internal revenue service, indicates that the total production of soft drinks in the country recorded a fall of 8.2% in June to 956,300,000 liters, compared with the same month of 2015. Compared to may, the retraction was 16%.