Beverage giant Coca-Cola is considering building new bottling plants in several locations in some of China's poorer inland provinces, a company executive announced.
Nick Moore, Coca-Cola's Beijing-based region manager told Dow Jones Newswires that the company is considering new investments in the provinces of Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Gansu.
"The final decision will be made within two years," Moore said. "In the meantime, we have sales offices and distribution systems that we're beefing up ( in those areas)."
Moore conceded that the market in those provinces isn't large today compared with the more developed areas on China's coast, but said moving into those areas is part of the company's long-term strategy.
"These investments are part of that strategy, which is to make our products wherever we can," he said. "There are some mountains to climb and some deserts to cross, but we'll get there."Moore emphasized that no decision had yet been made on the new bottling plants, and declined to give a figure for the possible future investments.
Coca-Cola has invested $1.1 billion (€1.12bn) in China over the past 12 years, and currently has 24 bottling plants in the country making its flagship cola as well as fruit juices, teas and bottled water.