- Through several initiatives, Coca-Cola FEMSA is aiding health authorities in the communication of prevention measures, expanding hospital capacity, procuring medical supplies, and donating over 2.5 million liters of beverages to medical centers and communities.
Mexico City, June 9. 2020 – Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: KOFUBL; NYSE: KOF) (“Coca-Cola FEMSA,” “KOF” or the “Company), the largest Coca-Cola franchise bottler in the world by sales volume, in solidarity with its communities and in collaboration with health professionals at the forefront of the COVID-19 health emergency, has offered support through its donation of beverages to medical centers and vulnerable communities, communication of prevention measures, expansion of hospital capacity, and supply of medical supplies.
At this juncture, Coca-Cola FEMSA`s priority has remained the health and safety of its employees, as well as ensuring the supply of a wide portfolio of beverages for its customers, always operating in compliance with prevention and hygiene protocols established by authorities in all of the countries where it operates.
“These difficult times test our human and corporate resilience; we recognize our role as an essential industry to provide hydration to our customers and consumers, while reinforcing our social commitment to support those who are at the forefront of medical care, workplace security, and vulnerable communities,” said José Ramón Martínez, Corporate Affairs Director of Coca-Cola FEMSA.
Throughout the 10 Latin American countries where Coca-Cola FEMSA has footprint, the Company has donated more than 2.5 million liters of beverages in collaboration with authorities and civil society organizations to directly benefit medical centers that offer care to COVID-19 patients, as well as vulnerable communities.
In Mexico, in coordination with the Mexican Coca-Cola system, the Company has donated more than 1 million liters of beverages from March to date, and provided information for the prevention of COVID-19 to communities through 1,700 delivery routes and 1,100 advertising places.
Taking advantage of its wide logistics network, it has also participated in the delivery of more than 600,000 medical supplies as part of the “Juntos por la Salud” initiative, and in conjunction with the Coca-Cola Foundation of Mexico, has supported the delivery of 156 thousand medical supplies to the Red Cross and the Mexican Institute of Social Security.
Furthermore, the company has also contributed to the conversion of the Citibanamex Convention Center into a healthcare center with 854 beds and 36 intermediate care units through the #SumamosPorMexico initiative, an effort that comprises 17 companies and institutions and offers Mexico City’s Ministry of Health additional hospital capacity to serve patients with COVID-19.
In Brazil, Coca-Cola FEMSA joined forces with Bradesco Seguros, The Coca-Cola Company, and Grupo Fleury to donate 26 thousand PCR-RT tests to COVID-19 to health professionals in São Paulo, while taking advantage of its extensive logistics network to distribute more than 500 thousand liters of liquid hand sanitizer provided by the Sugar Cane Industry Association (UNICA) to São Paulo’s public health network.
Additionally, the company joined efforts with The Coca-Cola Company, Braskem, Fitesa, and Renner to donate 600 thousand masks and 83 thousand protective gowns for hospitals and health institutions in Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo; all these while also donating over 200 thousand liters of beverages to hospitals and health centers.
In Central America, Coca-Cola FEMSA has donated more than 190 thousand liters of beverages to the elderly, front-line health professionals, volunteers, and police and communicated preventive measures through more than 200 distribution routes.
Seeking to strengthen the economic activity in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, Coca-Cola FEMSA has promoted and facilitated prevention and hygiene measures to support more than 100,000 small retailers in those countries, helping them to keep their doors open to provide with basic consumer products to families in the region.
In Colombia, Coca-Cola FEMSA has donated beverages to the most affected populations in the country through alliances with the national police, the Red Cross, mayors, and food banks. In Argentina, Coca-Cola FEMSA has donated more than 400 thousand liters of beverages to at-risk populations in collaboration with NGOs, municipalities, and health institutions. In Uruguay, the Company participated in the #NosCuidamosEntreTodos initiative, which has donated funds for medical supplies, and in Venezuela, it has donated water to health centers, shelters, and vulnerable communities.
As part of Coca-Cola FEMSA’s community support, in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Brazil, the Company’s industry alliances supported nearly 1,900 waste recyclers. In Colombia, through the “Movimiento RE” initiative, the Company contributed to the delivery of food, protection, and personal hygiene items. Moreover, in Costa Rica, through the “Misión Planeta” initiative, Coca-Cola FEMSA donated protection equipment, and in Brazil, the waste recyclers that are part of the “Reciclar pelo Brasil” initiative were benefitted too.
By prioritizing the health and safety of its employees and focusing on the needs of its customers, consumers, and communities, Coca-Cola FEMSA is committed to delivering economic value, while generating social and environmental well-being in collaboration with its stakeholders.
About FEMSA
FEMSA creates economic and social value through companies and institutions and strives to be the best employer and neighbor to the communities in which it operates. It participates in the retail industry through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Proximity Division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, a Health Division, which includes drugstores and related activities, and a Fuel Division, which operates the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations. In the beverage industry, it participates through Coca-Cola FEMSA, a public bottler of Coca-Cola products; and in the beer industry, as a shareholder of HEINEKEN, a brewer with operations in over 70 countries. Additionally, through its Strategic Businesses unit, it provides logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA`s business units and third-party clients. Through its business units, FEMSA has more than 295,000 employees in 13 countries. FEMSA is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance, the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and the Mexican Stock Exchange Sustainability Index, among other indexes that evaluate is sustainability performance.
About Coca-Cola FEMSA
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. is the largest Coca-Cola franchise bottler in the world by sales volume. The Company produces and distributes trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company, offering a wide portfolio of 129 brands to a population of more than 261 million. With over 80 thousand employees, the Company markets and sells approximately 3.4 billion unit cases through close to 2 million points of sale a year. Operating 49 manufacturing plants and 268 distribution centers, Coca-Cola FEMSA is committed to generating economic, social, and environmental value for all of its stakeholders across the value chain. The Company is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index, Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance Index, FTSE4Good Emerging Index, and the Mexican Stock Exchange’s IPC and Sustainability Indices, among others. Its operations encompass franchise territories in Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, and Argentina, and, nationwide, in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Uruguay, and Venezuela through its investment in KOF Venezuela. For further information, please visit www.coca-colafemsa.com
