Coca-Cola resumes operations at plant near Kyiv
Russia's war against Ukraine - the main events of May 18
The Coca-Cola Beverages plant in the village of Velyka Dymerka, Kyiv Oblast, is once again making Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite soft drinks, Director of Corporate Relations and Sustainable Development of the Company Andriy Bublyk said in a comment to Forbes, though he did not mention the volumes produced at the plant.
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“We plan to restore capacity by 100% by the end of May,” Bublyk added.
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Forbes noted that while the plant’s production lines are undamaged, resuming production to full capacity at the moment is impossible due to difficulties with securing raw materials and other components.
Coca-Cola had initially suspended work at its Velyka Dymerka facility in February, as a result of the full-scale Russian invasion, and asked its employees to stay home.
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In early March, plant was shelled by invading Russian forces.
As a result, the power plant and part of the office building were destroyed. Other premises and warehouses also suffered damage, but nothing critical.
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“Even if the lines were not damaged, the power plant was destroyed and the restoration of the pre-war operation would require multimillion-dollar investments,” Bublyk explains, though he did not provide a dollar amount for the company’s estimated losses at the facility.
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In order to keep up stocks in Ukraine, Coca-cola has been importing products from Poland and Czechia. However, exports from the Velyka Dymerka facility to Moldova have resumed, though not to Armenia.
