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Article: Can Atul Singh Fix Coke In India? It has not been smooth sailing for the cola giant so far. Stagnant volumes and squeezed margins have been compounded by the pesticide controversy. But things are looking up after a long time.
- Article from:
- Business Today
- Article date:
- December 3, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2006 Business Today. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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John Ustas, CEO of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, the bottling arm
of cola major Coca- Cola India, has doubled his sales force from
1,000 a year ago to 2,000 now. This, he says, is in anticipation of
the fast growth he foresees in the coming year. His counterpart in
the concentrates business, Atul Singh, CEO of Coca-Cola India, claims
that growth is already back in the business-Coke's volumes grew 4 per
cent in India during the quarter ended September 30, 2006, ending a
six-quarter declining streak, according to the Securities & Exchange
Commission filing by the parent company-and asserts that "colas are
the way forward for the company". Adds Ustas: "Our bottling
operations have turned ...