Coca-Cola backs Negros sugar industry, plans Bacolod expansion

BACOLOD CITY — Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (CCEAP) said its Bacolod plant continues to source all premium refined sugar used in production locally, sustaining ties with the domestic sugar industry built over nearly eight decades of operations in the city.

For sugar-producing communities, the company’s purchases provide a market for Philippine sugar, while planned factory expansions could create additional jobs and business opportunities in Negros. The scale of those benefits remains unspecified, however, as the company’s announcement did not provide procurement volumes, investment costs, a construction timetable, or projected job numbers.

Situated in the country’s sugar-producing heartland, the Bacolod plant connects Coca-Cola’s beverage operations with an agricultural industry central to the Negros economy and its communities.

“Negros has played an important role in Coca-Cola’s journey in the Philippines, and we remain committed to supporting the communities and industries that have grown alongside us through the years,” said Chris Pesigan, president and CEO of CCEAP.

“Through our Bacolod operations, we continue to work with local partners and support communities while serving consumers across the Visayas. As we continue to invest in our operations, we want our growth to continue opening opportunities for Filipinos and creating value in the places we are proud to call home. As a Negrense myself, nothing would make me happier than seeing both our company and the province from where I trace my maternal roots growing and prospering together.”

CCEAP, Coca-Cola’s bottling partner and official distributor in the Philippines, described itself as the country’s largest industrial buyer of locally produced sugar and said its sugar requirements continue to increase year on year.

The company said most of the Philippine sugar used in Coca-Cola products comes from Negros, highlighting the region’s role in supplying its operations and the broader domestic beverage industry.

Coca-Cola established its Bacolod presence in 1948 with a manufacturing facility along Lacson Street, beginning decades of partnerships with local businesses, communities, and sugar producers.

Operations moved to Barangay Mansilingan in 1998 to accommodate future growth and expanding consumer demand. An earlier company account identified the Mansilingan facility as a 10-hectare site.

The plant has since become a production hub supplying Coca-Cola beverages throughout the Visayas.

A new manufacturing line completed in May 2022 further strengthened the facility’s production capacity.

CCEAP said it plans further expansions at its Bacolod production facilities, including another manufacturing line, to meet growing demand and strengthen local manufacturing.

The company expects the investments to generate additional employment and economic activity in the community, extending the plant’s contribution beyond beverage production.

Outside its manufacturing operations, CCEAP said it continues to support local communities through programs addressing livelihoods, environmental stewardship, and disaster response.

The company said these initiatives follow its People-First approach, which links its operations with community welfare and local economic development.

As demand grows, CCEAP said it will continue investing in local manufacturing while maintaining Philippine production as its primary source of supply.

Through its Bacolod plant and other facilities, the company said it aims to sustain support for local industries, strengthen community partnerships, and create opportunities for workers, suppliers, and businesses across its value chain.