Bottling company Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) has started operations.

Africa’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, CCBA has been established through a combination of African, non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink bottling interests of SABMiller, The Coca-Cola Company, and Gutsche Family Investments.

The transaction was completed on 2 July following receipt of all the approvals earlier this month.

CCBA will manufacture and distribute approximately 40% of all Coca-Cola beverage volumes in Africa.

"The creation of CCBA will provide a stronger, more successful Coca-Cola system in Africa."

It will be the tenth largest Coca-Cola bottler worldwide, initially serving 11 countries. It will gradually increase to 14 countries.

Based in South Africa, CCBA will manufacture and sell 40 still and sparkling brands from more than 30 African bottling plants.

CCBA CEO Doug Jackson said: "The creation of CCBA will provide a stronger, more successful Coca-Cola system in Africa and create greater shared value for the business and the communities we serve across the value-chain, including local suppliers and retailers.

"We will also seek to be a critical part of our customers’ growth strategies and invest substantially in our people and in their growth and development to build both capacity and capability.

"As one operation, CCBA will better serve our consumers and communities in Africa, offering consumers greater choice, broader availability and better value."

Last November, The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller and Gutsche Family Investments announced that they have agreed to join the bottling operations of their non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink beverage businesses in southern and eastern Africa.