Colombo, Sri Lanka – July 16th, 2024 – Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka (CCBSL) recently unveiled the ‘Coke Buddy’ app, an innovative eB2B application designed to revolutionize its retail supply chain in Sri Lanka. Partnering with Sales Code, the world’s largest AI-powered sales platform, ‘Coke Buddy’ enhances digital capabilities, enabling seamless 24/7 ordering and optimizing distribution efficiency. This initiative underscores CCBSL’s commitment to empowering local retailers, including family-owned businesses, with advanced tools to make informed, data-driven decisions that uplift their businesses, while solidifying Coca-Cola’s market leadership in Sri Lanka
‘Coke Buddy’ represents a significant advancement in Coca-Cola’s approach to interacting with retailers, facilitating smooth connectivity and operational efficiency. This innovative application empowers Coca-Cola to seamlessly engage with retailers, facilitating the introduction of new products, executing promotions, and optimizing distribution strategies. Furthermore, its image recognition feature enables self-merchandising, allowing retailers to earn rewards effortlessly. This app serves as a tool through which our retailers can connect with our distributor network at any time to place orders for every available product, promotion, and more, along with trade promotions and tracking information. By supporting sales representatives in achieving their goals and leveraging data-driven insights, this platform further enhances Coca-Cola’s integration within the Sri Lankan retail landscape.
Pradip Pandey, Managing Director of CCBSL, spoke about the transformative impact of this initiative, stating that Coke Buddy marks a significant milestone in the digital evolution of the beverage industry in Sri Lanka. “We are proud to be pioneers in launching an eB2B application in the beverage industry in Sri Lanka. This innovation is crucial for driving our sales and will serve as a convenient tool for our retail partners and sales team,” said Pradip Pandey.
Further, expressing enthusiasm about the digital leap, Kaushali Kusumapala, Country Director at Coca-Cola Sri Lanka stated, “As we navigate Sri Lanka’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, Coke Buddy stands as a pivotal tool empowering our retail partners to order Coca-Cola products round the clock. This platform not only ensures convenience, price transparency, and efficient delivery tracking but also enhances retailer communication with AI-driven suggestions tailored to foster business growth”
The launch of Coke Buddy highlights the company’s proactive digital transformation in adapting to evolving business landscapes. This AI-powered eB2B platform ensures seamless access to Coca-Cola’s comprehensive product range in Sri Lanka, bolstering operational efficiency and underscoring CCBSL’s leadership in modernizing supply chain management.
Commenting on the strategic significance, Prashant Kumar, Senior Director-Sales & Commercial at Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka, highlighted, “With the launch of Coke Buddy, we’re enhancing our capabilities to meet the changing demands of the 21st-century marketplace. This innovative AI-powered application not only boosts our sales insights but also reflects our commitment to operational excellence and forward-looking strategies to enhance the ways of Route to Market. It equips our teams with advanced tools to achieve targets efficiently while seamlessly adapting to the evolving retail landscape. I am confident that Coke Buddy will play a pivotal role in driving our future growth and success.”
Coca-Cola has been an integral part of Sri Lanka’s fabric since 1961, playing a pivotal role in the local economy. With an expansive system network encompassing over 100,000 retailers and supported by a dedicated workforce of over 500 employees, Coca-Cola continues to enrich communities across Sri Lanka. The introduction of Coke Buddy marks another milestone in enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening relationships within this extensive network, further solidifying Coca-Cola’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the Sri Lankan market.
Coca-Cola in Sri Lanka
Coca-Cola has been refreshing Sri Lankans for over 60 years, continuously evolving to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love. Our company’s purpose is to Refresh the World and Make a Difference. To serve our valued consumers better, we are now providing more convenient packages, innovating, and introducing new lower and no-sugar drinks. Following the introduction of Trademark Coca-Cola in 1961, we now have a range of other brands in our portfolio including Coke Zero, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Fanta Orange, Fanta Cream Soda, Fanta Portello, Kinley Soda, Lion Tonic, Lion Ginger Beer, Kinley water and Monster Energy, providing consumers across the island with a variety of delicious and hydrating beverage options. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities, and the nation through our sustainability initiatives on the recovery and recycling of PET plastic packaging, water replenishment programs which have led us to return back more water than used in the production of our beverages, interventions around climate action which have won us the Iconic Rooftop Solar Project of the Year at the Annual Solar Awards 2021 and ensuring the well-being of our local communities, including programs on women empowerment. We employ thousands of people in Sri Lanka, both directly and indirectly, providing economic opportunities to local communities, and serve our products to over 80,000 businesses in all 25 districts reaching the furthest consumer. Learn more at https://lk.coca-cola.com/en/home and follow us on LinkedIn Instagram and Facebook
