Coca-Cola teams up with Grab to boost growth, digitalization in Southeast Asia 

BEVERAGE manufacturer Coca-Cola Co. has partnered with superapp Grab to drive growth and digitalization in Southeast Asia.

In a statement on Thursday, Coca-Cola said that its regional partnership with Grab will allow for collaboration on impact initiatives to boost digital skilling for merchants and promote convenience and various beverage choices for consumers.

The partnership will improve Coca-Cola’s extensive offline retail presence and Grab’s online network. It will cover six Southeast Asian countries: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam.

“At Coca-Cola, we are transforming our business model for the digital age. This new multi-market partnership extends our online reach and enables us to stay ahead of changing shopper trends as we drive customer value and growth through digital enablement,” Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific Head of Offline to Online Sam Way said.

Under the partnership, Coca-Cola will help retailers within its distribution network to set up digital storefronts on GrabFood and GrabMart to expand their consumer base.

“Grab also plans to support interested merchants on its platform to become distributors of Coca-Cola, expanding their product offerings and increasing their sales opportunities. Both companies will also offer digital literacy and e-commerce training to enable merchants to upskill and further optimize their business for growth,” Coca-Cola said.

Further, the partnership will utilize Grab’s superapp advertising capabilities to offer new ways for Coca-Cola to connect with customers.

Coca-Cola will also use Grab’s platform solutions such as GrabExpress to address supply chain inefficiencies and GrabPay cashless payment.

“Coca-Cola will also tap into Grab’s merchant-partner network and scale to drive trials of zero-sugar beverages to make it easier for consumers in the region to choose the beverages that fit their needs,” the company said.

“This partnership also reflects our shared commitment to support merchants to further grow their business through digitalization and financial services. By enabling them to capture new and unmet consumer demand, we enable them to provide better services to our users. This in turn strengthens brand love for Grab and Coca-Cola,” Grab Regional Head of Merchant Saad Ahmed said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave