The largest bottler of the American soft drink brand, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, earned 1,521 million euros last year, 54% more than in 2021. With these results, published this Thursday, the company is preparing to distribute a record dividend among its shareholders of 763 million euros, at 1.68 euros per share.
"The record dividend of 2022, our forecast for 2023 and the ambitious but achievable medium-term objectives demonstrate the strength of our business," said Damian Gammel, CEO of the company, in the statement presenting results.
With these results, the company chaired by the Spanish Sol Daurella confirms the recovery that began in 2021, after a 2020 marked by the outbreak of the pandemic and the consequent restrictions on leisure and tourism: although in that year it obtained a net profit of 498 million euros, its profits were reduced by more than 50% compared to the previous year.
The company, which operates in 26 countries in Europe, Asia and Oceania and which markets other brands such as the Monster energy drink or the sugary Fanta, had a turnover of 17,320 million last year, 26% more.
The bubble drink in all its variants continues to be its best-selling product, and accounts for 58.5% of its business.
Coca-Cola Zero and Monster were the star products and both exceeded pre-pandemic sales in all business areas.
Gammel has highlighted how there has been an increase in the hotel and restaurant channel, and how the company has benefited from the good weather in Europe, the widespread reopening after the pandemic and the return of tourism.
The volumes of the last quarter, the company has explained, reflect the solid recovery of the hospitality channel.
Spain and Portugal
This boost from tourism, together with good weather, is what has boosted its results in Iberia, the area that brings together Spain, Portugal and Andorra.
According to its financial report, its turnover shot up more than 21%, to 3,034 million.
The company warns, however, that, compared to 2019, its results in Spain and Portugal have been affected by the VAT increase on sugary drinks approved in 2021.
In Europe, only Great Britain and Germany surpass the Iberian area in turnover, which is where its sales have increased the most.
All its geographical sectors grow by more than 10% in the year.
In its leading market, the Asia-Pacific area, the bottler had a turnover of 3,791 million euros last year.
It entered this zone after the purchase of the Australian bottler Amatil for an amount of 6,000 million.
For this year, the bottler of the most famous soft drink in the world intends to continue increasing its billing and profits between 6% and 8%, led by its pricing policy and the mixed channel.
The Coca-Cola Company, the US giant that owns the patent, managed to raise prices last year without affecting demand, and increased its revenue by 11%.
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