June 26, 2011 A Refreshing Take

Volume 7 | Issue 1

Brazil’s Sorocaba Refrescos is responsible for production and distribution of Coca-Cola products, in addition to a long list of beers and be

With over 35 years of experience producing, packaging and distributing a wide range of beverages in Brazil, Sorocaba Refrescos is a forward-thinking company that is experiencing tremendous growth across the board.

“Today our company acts within the three general categories of sodas, beer and non-carbonated beverages,” says Claudio Rodrigues, the company’s director of industry. “We are proud to produce and distribute Coca-Cola products here in Brazil, as well as a range of Heineken, Kaiser and Bavaria products which we re-sell.” The company also sells and distributes non-carbonated beverages such as teas and mineral water.

HISTORY

Sorocaba Refrescos was founded in 1975 as a subsidiary of Campinas Soft SA, and the company’s factory was inaugurated in the city of Sorocaba just two years later in 1977. “In 1985, the Biagi family took over the business as it became a subsidiary of Ipiranga Refrescos. From there the Biagi family took the company to new levels as it began to invest heavily in modern production processes and cutting-edge equipment,” explains Rodrigues. This put Sorocaba Refrescos on the map and the company took its place among the country’s leading beverage suppliers. In 1989, Sorocaba Refrescos became an independent manufacturer of Coca-Cola, and its activity in Brazil since that year has intensified by leaps and bounds.

Today, Sorocaba Refrescos works with over 11 thousand clients through producing and distributing beverages for the Coca-Cola Company, beverages for Heineken Brazil, and a wide range of non-carbonated beverages. The company reaches close to 2.3 million consumers in 60 municipalities in the interior of Sao Paulo state. All in all, the company is responsible for over 200 diverse products.

THE FACILITIES

Sorocaba Refrescos is located in the city of Sorocaba, which, with a population of 548,313, is Sao Paulo’s eighth largest city. The city is the regional center for industry across the board, and is currently undergoing extensive urbanization projects that promise to attract even more diverse business. It is one of Brazil’s largest cities to receive new investments, and is among the country’s top job-generating cities.

“Our company’s distribution center in Sorocaba measures 110,000 square meters,” says Rodrigues. With five modern production lines, the company’s beverage production capacity is currently at 200 million liters per year.

RECOGNITION

In 2006, 2008 and 2009, the company won the Coca-Cola Company Quality Award, ranking first place in Brazil on areas of quality performance and management. The highly-regarded award includes the three pillars of product quality, integrated management systems, and, finally, global commitments to social and environmental issues. Additionally, for two consecutive years Sorocaba Refrescos has been chosen by the ‘Voce S/A Guide’ as well as ‘Exame’ as one of the 150 ‘Best Companies to Work For.’

“What separates our company from others, in addition to our commitment to quality, is a commitment to our own team,” says Rodrigues. “We pride ourselves on a corporate culture of positive energy, and we are known throughout Brazil as being a company based on openness, respect, and pride in what we do. People want to work here because of our reputation for possessing these qualities.” The company boasts high levels of employee satisfaction and is committed to fostering team spirit at all levels.

With a dominance in the Brazilian beverage market, Sorocaba Refrescos makes its mark by offering affordable, widely-recognizable beverages, operating with low production costs and the most cutting-edge technological processes. With an impeccable marketing department, forward-thinking and socially responsible management, and plans to tap into new markets, Sorocaba Refrescos will continue to soar.

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