I.

Point of View

Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggest selling soft drinks in history as

well as one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Being so, they always

seek to present customers with products that are sellable and profitable. They

are also prepared for certain issues or problems that may arise. The company is

almost too perfect to criticize but there are some issues that are still not

addressed even up to today. The company is continually studying every aspect

so that they can be ready to deal with those arising issues.

One aspect we would like to tackle is the consistency of Coca Cola

Company regarding its quality and food safety.

For almost 131 years in business, the company flourished to be the best

non alcoholic beverage company. Many practices regarding Quality and Food

safety can be applied easily in any processing plant.

Coca-Cola is not a product that is produced in just a few huge facilities,

and then shipped around the world. The products are produced in virtually

each country in which it is sold, utilizing local suppliers and local bottlers,

employing local people, and addressing local culture and taste. As such, the

supply chain of Coca-Cola is not a single corporate system. Rather, each link in

the Coca-Cola production chain is a local producer with its own outward-

extending chain of suppliers, similar to any other local food manufacturer. Of

course, the plants have the advantage of being a part of a global network, but

Coca-Cola has a strategy of mingling global and local. Consistency is a big

question because of different plant ad facilities around the world.

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 Coca-Cola also offers different array of products around the world. For

example in USA we have Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Root beer, In Africa, Coca

Cola company produces Spar-berry, Sunfill and Stoney Tangawizi. While in

India, Thumbs Up and in Japan Georgia Coffee is offered. Coca Cola has been

also consistent in Islam dominated countries producing goods with Halal labels.

Local control and decision-making is not quite as autonomous, however.

Rather, for quality and food safety, Coca-Cola maintains much more rigid

standards across its system to protect the brand, assure supply standards, and

control the manufacturing process. Coca Cola has always been keen to maintain

its good brand quality, so they lead food safety and supplier strategy from the

center

Production of the product has been a dominant factor for providing

quality and food safety. The process is essentially the combining of four parts:

the secret-formula concentrate, water, sweetener, and carbonization. With

such few ingredients, a slight difference in any one, such as the water, could

change the classic, expected taste and quality of the final product. Yet with

water sourced locally at every plant, from a range of sourceswell water to

vastly varying municipal waters, it is essential that specific filtering and

treatment processes be used so that the water that ends up in the final product

is the same at every plant. If its not, the bottled, canned, or tapped Coke will

not be the same.

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 Even with such controls, Coca-Cola does not leave the quality of the

final product to chance. Rather, it conducts at-trade sampling and prototype

testing for assurance. Coca-Cola contracts with third parties to purchase its

products from various retail establishments. The products are analyzed and

tested for everything from taste to micro to label coding and alignment. The

results are compiled every month, upon which each plant is scored and

analyses are made for continuous improvement in that plant and across the

system.

Such practices help Coca-Cola ensure that all products that bear its

brand consistently meet its rigid quality and food safety standardsas well as

those of downstream customers.

However, Coca-Colas namesake has dropped due to the change in

lifestyle of the consumers. People are drinking more bottled water, flavored

water, juices and other beverages that they believe are healthy. Coca-Cola has

never ceased to find new ways to attract people to patronize their products

through advertisements that usually promote happiness, togetherness and

humanity. Coca-Cola is also a long-running sponsor of the Olympics.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and determine the consistency

of Coca Cola company regarding quality and food safety . It will also discuss

how Coca-Cola will be able to increase their sales considering the current

trends and lifestyles of their consumers. This case will be discussed as viewed

by students of the Masters in Hospitality Management.

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II. Statement of the Problem

1. Is Coca Cola Company consistent when it comes to Quality and Food

safety?

III. Objectives

These are the following objectives that the researchers would like to achieve.

1. To determine the consistency of Coca Cola Company when it comes to

its quality

2. To determine the consistency of Coca Cola Company when it comes to

its food safety.

3. To analyze the production process of Coca Cola and determine if they

are consistent in quality and food safety,

IV. Areas of Consideration

To fully determine if Coca Cola Company is consistent with its quality and

food safety we should consider the SWOT Analysis and its Quality Production

Process.

STRENGHTS

1. Produce virtually in each country or

(Strong and Efficient Distribution system.)

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 2. Utilizing Local Supplies

3. Practices to the Local tastes, culture, regulations.

4. High Brand Awareness

(Brand name that hold its own prestige in the world market.)

5. Product Concept

(Emphasizing the benefits or the concept of the product could help to

attract the consumers.)

WEAKNESS:

1. Not good for health

2. Local control and decision making is autonomous.

Quality Production and Control

There are some aspects of the Coca-Cola system in which local control

and decision-making is not quite as autonomous, however. Rather, for quality

and food safety, Coca-Cola maintains much more rigid standards across its

system to protect the brand, assure supply standards, and control the

manufacturing process. Coke has always been keen to maintain its good brand

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quality, so we lead food safety and supplier strategy from the center, Marshall

said.

For example, the production of Coca-Cola at a manufacturing facility is

essentially the combining of four parts: the secret-formula concentrate, water,

sweetener, and carbonization. With such few ingredients, a slight difference in

anyone, such as the water, could change the classic, expected taste and

quality of the final product. Yet with water sourced locally at every plant, from

a range of sources - well water to vastly varying municipal waters, it is

essential that specific filtering and treatment processes e used so that the

water that ends up in the final product is the same at every plant. If its not,

the bottled, canned, or tapped Coke will not be the same.

Even with such control, Coca-Cola does not leave the quality of the final

product to chance. Rather, it conducts at-trade sampling for assurance. Coca-

Cola contracts with third parties to purchase ts products from various retail

establishments. The products are analyzed and tested for everything from taste

to micro to label coding and alignment. The results are compiled every month,

upon which each plant is scored and analyses are made for continuous

improvement in that plant and across the system.

Such practices help Coca-Cola ensure that all products that bear its brands

consistently meet its rigid quality and food safety standards - as well as those

of downstream customers.

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Flowchart for Coca-Cola Production

IV. ALTERNATIVES COURSES OF ACTION

Coca Cola has been consistent on its quality and food safety. To further

promote consistency in quality and food safety. The following are the

alternative courses of action:

1. TRAINING OF STAFFS

- For them to have deeper knowledge when it comes to the

assurance of the quality of their products, management should

conduct an intensive training for the staffs/employees and also

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 updated seminars/workshops just to review their expertise in

operating different machineries in different areas.

TRAINING OF STAFFS

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

1. Additional Knowledge 1. Requires long training

2. Key element for Quality 2. Expensive

3. Competitive

2. MAINTENANCE OF MACHINES AND OTHER EQUIPMENTS

- Machines are great of help in producing/processing their products.

Having a well-maintained tools and equipment could be beneficial

in terms of the consistency of the said compa

MAINTENANCE OF MACHINE AND OTHER EQUIPMENTS

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

1. Provide Quality Products 1. Expensive

2. Consistency of Food Safety 2. Time constraints for production

(Hazards)

3. Competitive

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 3. EMPLOYEE SHOULD MASTER COMPANYS CORPORATE SOCIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

- It is very essential to comply with the law, regulation, elite

standards and international norms.

EMPLOYEE SHOULD MASTER COMPANYS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

1. Driving Factor for Motivation 1. Expensive

2. Knowledge about the company 2. Needs proper expertise

3. Influential

4. UPDATE REGULARLY THE GLOBAL QUALITY SYSTEM CERTIFICATION

OF THE GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE (GFSI)

- GFSI certification is one of the basis of every company especially

the Coca-Cola in maintaining the quality system in any processing

area they need to comply every requirement needed.

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 UPDATE REGULARLY THE CERTIFICATION OF GFSI

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

1. Accreditation regarding Quality 1. Time Consuming

2. If there is Quality, 2. Should be meticulous in the

there is consistency process

3. Consistency of Food Safety

5. DIVERSITY THE COKES PRODUCTS MIX INTO A MORE HEALTHY WAY

- People in this generation are more conscious for their health.

Thus, creating a bad image regarding food safety.

UPDATE REGULARLY THE CERTIFICATION OF GFSI

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

1. Flexibility to consumer demands 1. Time consuming

2. Variety of Products 2. Needs proper feasibility

studies

3. Consistency of Food Safety

4. Consistency of Quality

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V. Recommendations:

To further promote its consistency on quality and food safety the

following are the recommendations:

1. Ensure the proper handling of each product with quality and standards

and to update the new trend of technologies or practice.

2. Further checkups of machines and equipment used in the production

process.

3. Everyone in the company should practice and be aware of their CSR.

4. Regularly attend every GFSI conference and event. Sharing of ideas and

best practices with other companies. Feedback and sharing of ideas and

process improvements from employees.

5. Coca-Cola Company should innovate more products that is more friendly

and safe to their valued customer/consumer.

VI. Program Implementation:

1. Monthly training and seminars for staffs to maintain the good quality

of service and production.

2. Regular check-up for the equipment should be made by the Coca-

Cola Company. Prototype testing of product to ensure quality and

food safety.

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 3. Inculcate in the minds of the employees the Company Social

responsibility. Follow governing laws in other countries (E.g Use of

Halal sign in Islam dominated country.)

4. Have employees regularly attend every GFSI conference and event.

Actively participate, for example be a key speaker and share best

practices so that other companies will be more open to sharing ideas

also. There should be monthly food safety meetings and seminars so

that ideas and feedback of employees can be shred and

implemented.

5. Introduce healthy products like Carbonated drinks with no sugar,

teas, healthy juices and the like to the market.

VIII. References

Lupo, Keeping The Real Thing Local Across the Globe, 2013

IX. Appendices

Coca Cola Flow chart and Production Process, page 7

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