1965 Swire enters the Coca-Cola bottling business with the purchase of the Lai Chi Kok bottling plant in Hong Kong.
This year, Swire Coca-Cola proudly marks its 60th anniversary. From just one bottling plant in Hong Kong in 1965, we have now grown to operate 42 plants, delivering over 65 of the world’s most loved brands. Today, we are proud to refresh nearly one billion consumers across eight diverse markets, while standing as the fifth-largest bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company.
Milestones that Shaped Our Journey Our six-decade story is woven with moments of bold ambition and transformative growth. A pivotal chapter unfolded in 1978 with the acquisition of our first Coca-Cola franchise in the USA, sparking decades of expansion in this key market. Another defining moment came in 1989 when we became the trusted partner of The Coca-Cola Company in the brand’s return to the Chinese Mainland.
1978 Swire enters the USA market by first acquiring the franchise rights for the Coca-Cola bottler in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1989 Our first two bottling plants in Jiangsu & Zhejiang are opened.
More recently, we embarked on an exciting new chapter with our first foray into Southeast Asia – one of Asia’s fastest growing economies – in 2022, starting with Cambodia and Vietnam. After that major step forward, we added Thailand and Laos to our footprint last year.
2024 A majority stake in ThaiNamthip’s bottling businesses in Thailand and Laos is acquired.
Celebrating Together As we reflect on our journey from humble beginnings to industry leadership, we honour the true force behind our success—our people. Our strength continues to lie in being deeply local – understanding each market, each community, and each consumer we serve. That strength is powered by our 47,000 employees across our three regions, whose passion and commitment continue to propel us forward.
To celebrate this special occasion, we hosted a Global Townhall in our home market, Hong Kong, in July, our birthday month. Colleagues from all eight markets joined us, either in person or virtually, to celebrate our shared legacy and collective achievements. During the Townhall, senior leaders reflected on our rich history and shared strategic directions for the next decade. Together, we celebrated our unity and the wonderful moments that define our Swire Coca-Cola family.
Toasting the future, we remain committed to deliver refreshment to the communities we call home. Here’s to 60 years—and to many more refreshing years to come!
Happy 60th Birthday, Swire Coca-Cola!
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