– **History**:
– Production began in March 1994 with a target of 2.2 million gallons annually.
– Shareholders included Roz Trading Ltd., Coca-Cola Company, and Uzpishprom.
– Second bottling plant opened in May 1996 in Kirbay district.
– Namangan plant was opened in February 1997.
– Fourth plant opened in Urgench in June 1997.
– **Privatization Plan**:
– President Mirziyoyev’s decree in March 2019 mandated privatization of 64 state-owned enterprises.
– Coca-Cola Company announced a $31 million investment in March 2020 for plant upgrades.
– Rothschild & Co was hired by the Uzbek government in December 2020 to manage the sale of state shares.
– The privatization aims to attract foreign investors.
– The plan includes the sale of a portion of state shares in the joint venture.
– **References**:
– Various articles and publications provide information on Coca-Cola Bottlers Uzbekistan.
– The company’s history, investigations, and privatization plans are covered.
– Sources include news outlets like The New York Times and Financial Times.
– The Uzbek government’s involvement in the privatization process is highlighted.
– The decision to attract consultants for privatization is mentioned.
– **Investigations and Allegations**:
– In 2001, an investigation into Roz Trading over financial impropriety was launched.
– Roz Trading’s shares were taken over by the Uzbek state.
– Maqsudi filed a claim against Coca-Cola Company in June 2006.
– Executives of Coca-Cola Bottler left Uzbekistan amid investigations in 2001.
– Coca-Cola Company was accused of conspiring with the Uzbek government in 2006.
– **Financial Investments**:
– The Coca-Cola Company invested $31 million in the Uzbek joint venture in March 2020.
– The investment was aimed at upgrading the bottling plants.
– The Uzbek government’s decision to sell state shares in the joint venture was announced in December 2020.
– The privatization plan includes attracting strategic investors.
– The investment is part of Uzbekistan’s efforts to improve its attractiveness to foreign investors.
Coca-Cola Bottlers Uzbekistan (Uzbek: Coca-Cola Ichimligi Uzbekiston Ltd.) is a joint venture between the Uzbek state and the Coca-Cola Company established in 1993. The company is headquartered in Tashkent and has four production facilities: two in Tashkent, one in Namangan, and one in Urgench. In 2019, the company controlled nearly half of Uzbekistan’s market for soft drinks and generated revenue of UZS 1.4 trillion. The Uzbek state currently owns 57.1 percent of the joint venture, with the Coca-Cola Company owning the remainder.
Native name | Coca-Cola Ichimligi Uzbekiston Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
| Revenue |  US$160 million (2019) |
| Owner |
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