Mr. T. Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, and Mr. Dinesh Kumar Tyagi, CEO, CSC SPV ink MoU to boost outreach in rural India

Pilot phase to list Coca-Cola’s products on CSC’s Grameen eStore platform for key markets in AP&T, UP and Haryana Enable availability of affordable, essential hydration to rural communities through Village Level Entrepreneurs

To promote availability of consumer products at doorsteps in rural India through local entrepreneurs and e-kirana stores, Common Services Centers under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, today announced partnership with Coca-Cola India to list Coca Cola products on its Grameen eStore platform.

The partnership will make available affordable essential hydration through CSC’s Grameen eStore platform.  In the pilot phase, Coca-Cola’s portfolio of products will be listed on Grameen eStore across the states of Andhra Pradesh & Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

CSC and Coca-Cola’s partnership serves the dual purpose of providing last mile connectivity of essential and affordable hydration to citizens’ doorsteps, as well as promoting rural entrepreneurship and building livelihoods by mapping supply points to Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).

Elaborating on the rural e-commerce platform of CSC, Dr. Dinesh Tyagi – CEO, CSC SPV said, “The idea for Grameen e-Store exemplifies Prime Minister’s call for being vocal for local. Through this initiative, VLEs are playing a critical role in connecting producers and companies with the rural consumers right at their doorsteps. The partnership with Coca Cola will allow the stores to diversify their offerings while providing customers access to new products. It will be a win-win proposition.”  

Announcing the association, T. Krishnakumar - President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said, “We are privileged to partner with CSC in their effort to pave the path for digital and economic empowerment of our rural citizens. This initiative will help us with last mile connectivity to ensure people are hydrated and have their relevant choice of beverages. It underscores our long-term commitment towards creating a sustainable business in India through responsible actions and shared growth. We are a ‘Total Beverage Company with Local Roots’ and we have adopted a hyperlocal strategy focused on strengthening the regional connect, both in terms of choice and reach. On one hand, while we have been advancing beverage localisation and developing an ethnic beverage portfolio to suit various regions and palates, on the other, we are adapting to the ‘new normal’ and using the merits of its agility, to enhance last mile delivery of relevant beverage choice for our consumers.” he added.

About Common Services Centers

Common Services Centers (CSCs) Scheme is one of key enablers of the Digital India program. CSCs are the access points for e-delivery of G2C, education, healthcare, agriculture and financial services to villages in India, thereby contributing to a digitally and financially inclusive society. CSCs are more than just service delivery points in rural India. They are positioned as change agents, promoting rural entrepreneurship and building rural capacities and livelihoods. It is a pan-India network catering to regional, geographic, linguistic and cultural diversity of the country, thus enabling the Government’s mandate of a socially, financially and digitally inclusive society.

CSC Grameen eStore is a hyper-local e-commerce platform. The eStore is available as a mobile app on Google Play Store. Citizens can download the app to order 

About the Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and nearly 3,900 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company's portfolio features 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options.

These brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages.

More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.

For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company