Thanks to the kind assistance of our reader Jonas, we learn that the odd bottles of Coca-Cola sold in London are in fact probably originating in Georgia!
This means that someone has found a business model that makes it economical to ship this stuff more than 3500 kilometres and still making a profit... Take a look at the map:
That's quite some distance! Who cares about the environment... :-(
More seriously; free markets allow for this type of trade and I'm not against it in principle (seeing that I too enjoy watching my parallel-imported DVDs from Region 1), but shouldn't the local Coca-Cola distributors react and adjust their prices to a more competitive level? ... or are they in on the deal?
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Are you sure that they actually were manufactured in Georgia (or Sakartvelo, as the Kartvelians - a.k.a. Georgians - themselves call their country)?
Perhaps more possible is that they were manufactured in UK or another European country, for export to Georgia. Perhaps the Georgians then couldn't pay for a shipment... so it had to be sold cheaply on the European market.
Posted by: Jonas on May 15, 2003 12:26 AMI can't find anything definitive, but if you look here: http://www.export-forum.com/eng/europe_bev.htm you'll see this:
GEORGIA / COCA COLA & OTHER / OFFER / REF EU 0302 2124
Authorized factory produces under Coca-Cola licence and exports Coca-Cola, Fanta Orange, Tropic and Sprite with 3 different packing :
a) 1.5 l PET bottles. 12 bottles per carton
b) 0.5 l PET bottles. 24 bottles per carton
c) 0.20 l glass bottles. 24 bottles per carton
So it could well be made there.
Posted by: Colin Stewart on May 15, 2003 02:05 AMThis could be the factory:
Coca-Cola Bottlers Georgia Ltd
Temuri Chkonia, General Manager
114 Tsereteli Ave., Tbilisi
Tel: 94 16 99
Fax: 99 79 15
(From http://www.bisnis.doc.gov/bisnis/country/010116gausco.htm)
Posted by: Colin Stewart on May 15, 2003 02:11 AMhello,
i am at a school studying business studies at the present moment. and i am involved in doing a portfolio about a business that trades with the european countries and i have chosen Coca Cola.
it would be really helpful if Coca Cola wouldnt mind sending me some information on Coca Cola trading with the european countries.
thanks for taking time and reading my message, i will hope to hear from you very soon.
thank u.
verrinder kumar.
Posted by: VERRINDER KUMAR BHANGU on June 16, 2003 03:25 PMPlease can you give me contact to factory Coca cola in Georgia please
Thank You
Robert V Reed
If you recycle these plastik bottles and you are interestead to buy these by a very, very low price
please caontact me. Sorry for my bad english.
My name is: Horatiu Bodocan
Address: str.Sitei nr.36 Brasov2200 ROMANIA
e-mail: www.horibodo@hotmail.com
tel: +40745 753631
1) if there is the indication 54 on the bar code of the Georgian cola bottle, sirup comes from Belgium.
2) if not, sirup comes from Turkey.
The Georgian Bottle were printed in Belgium (antwerpen) an exported (1995 - 2002).
I am trying to get hold off a coca cola advertising poster in Georgian. Any advice would be great.
Posted by: vere on October 24, 2003 04:29 PMIf someone is still "working" on this matter please do not exitate ta write me back. I'm really interested on this matter.
regards
Hi I'm Marco,
Is this blog still actual?
Wow, Coca Cola from Georgia? Super! This is a real consolidation of the concept of "globalisation"...it would be interesting to know from where else Coca Cola is imported....anybody has some infos? I will keep the eyes on when the next time I will buy a Cola bottle...!
If anybody has information on how to buy Coca cola from Georgia please advice. Thanks.
Posted by: William on November 14, 2005 07:25 PM"''It's one of the problems that we encounter as well, the so called parallel imports and cross border. We can't do much about cross border because that is trade within the EU. Parallel imports however are coming from outside the EU. These bottles are p..."