Coca-Cola India And Skill India's Super Power Retailer Programme Empowers Over 14,000 Retailers

Coca-Cola India and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) showcase their unwavering commitment towards reshaping the retail landscape in Odisha with the Super Power Retailer Program. In the span of seven months, over 14000 retailers have been empowered through the initiative including women retailers.

This remarkable programme was launched by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Union Minister for Education and the former Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, on October 15th 2023, and it aims to bring a positive transformation in the retail community of the state.

Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC and MD, NSDC International said, “Looking at the retail landscape rapidly evolving with the integration of technology, we are invested in upskilling our retailers by building their capacity and capability. I am confident that this partnership with Coca-Cola India will play a key role in equipping the beneficiaries with necessary knowledge to expand their businesses and enhance consumer experiences, ultimately strengthening India’s economy. Moreover, the integration of SIDH (Skill India Digital Hub) will ensure that the learners will have access to digital content, enabling them to acquire in-demand skills anytime, anywhere digitally.”

On the progress of the initiative, Irene Tan, Vice President, Human Resources, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, said, “At Coca-Cola, we strive to create a conducive and enabling environment for retailers, allowing them to expand their businesses and enhance consumer experiences. The Super Power Retailer program showcases our commitment towards positively impacting societies. Our partnership with Skill India Mission underlines innovative delivery of industry-specific skills in the retailer community, opening doors of opportunity for all."

The Super Power Retailer Program offers industry-specific skills such as customer management, inventory and stock management, financial management and more that are tailored to the professional needs of retailers, making the retailers proficient and enhancing their knowledge. The participation of women in retailer program demonstrates Coca-Cola India’s commitment to driving change, fostering gender diversity and boosting employment prospects.

As part of the program, a combination of classroom training sessions in Odisha and an online certification program across India led to the participation of 14000 retailers. The training delivered in local language enabled small shopkeepers and big businessmen to expand their reach, improve accessibility, and better adapt to changing market trends.

About Coca-Cola India:

Coca-Cola in India is one of the country's leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company in line with its

vision of 'Beverages For Life' offers a wide portfolio of products which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy based products. In India it's beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Charged by Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca Sportz, Smartwater, Kinley, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. Premium products constitute Schweppes and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee range of tea and coffee. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of close to 4 million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable agriculture initiatives and carbon emission reductions across its value chain.

Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.