Sunday, December 11, 2005
Business » World Economy
Coke fizz back in Afghanistan
Indo-Asian News Service
Kabul, December 11, 2005
After 15 long years, Coca-Cola is back in Afghanistan with the commissioning of a $25 million bottling plant on the outskirts of Kabul. It represents a major investment for the troubled country.
The soft drink giant operated in Afghanistan earlier but it withdrew in the wake of the anti-Soviet and later civil war.
The new plant will create direct jobs for 600 people and possibly for another 8,000 through allied industries.
Currently, Coca-Cola is imported from Pakistan, making a can cost 40 US cents (18 Afghani). Locally produced Coke cost three times less.
"We are very optimistic about Afghanistan. We are looking at huge growth because of the affordability," says Ali-us-Sajjad Khan of the Habib Gulzar Non-Alcoholic Beverages Firm, the franchisee of Coca-Cola.
© HT Media Ltd. 2005.