The study, conducted by global consultancy Steward Redqueen and released by The Coca-Cola Company last week, estimates that the Coca-Cola system contributed $57.8bn in economic activity in the US in 2022.
The Coca-Cola system works with a network of manufacturers, suppliers and service workers. It supports more than 854,000 jobs in the services, retail, manufacturing, transport and agriculture sectors. This includes more than 84,000 direct system jobs and 770,000 jobs across the value chain (meaning the system collectively supports nine additional jobs for everyone it directly creates).
The Coca-Cola system is unique in the way it produces, markets and distributes beverages: with roles split between The Coca-Cola Company and the independent bottlers.
Coca‑Cola manufactures and sells concentrates, beverage bases and syrups to bottling operations. It also owns the brands and is responsible for consumer brand marketing initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Coca‑Cola bottling partners manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute final branded beverages to customers and vending partners, who then sell products to consumers.
“The Coca‑Cola Company is, first and foremost, a homegrown US business with a unique story of American resilience and transformation,” said Jennifer Mann, SVP and President of Coca‑Cola North America. “Our operating model is what really allows us to have the impact that we do.”
How was this estimate reached?
The Coca‑Cola Company produces and sells nearly 800 beverages and 55 brands in 10 beverage categories across all 50 states, most of which are supplied, produced and manufactured in the US.
"While it is intuitively clear that Coca-Cola is deeply embedded across the US, until now there was no clear quantitative picture of this," explains Steward Redqueen. "Building upon on 15 years of experience with socio-economic impact modelling, we developed the most granular approach and methodology to date that uses multi-regional input-output modelling.
"Over the past few months, we traced over 25,000 different spending events across all 50 states in the US. Each of these are traced through 546 sectors in 50 states. This has resulted is a very detailed picture of how Coca-Cola and its entire value chain contributes to employment and incomes for households, business owners, governments and communities in the US."
"Over the course of the study, we mapped the many different types of jobs its supports: from young people entering the workforce in restaurants or shops to well-paid executive jobs. The study will aid decision-making in areas such as making capital investments, upskilling of employees and aligning community support activities."
The study also estimates that, in total, the system invested $27.8bn in the US economy (through the purchase of goods and services).
Coca-Cola also highlights a combined $108m given to community programs across the system: including social and environmental causes.
