Coca-Cola India Enables Hydration Access and Retail Empowerment at Asia’s Largest Tribal Festival

NEW DELHI, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As communities and visitors come together for Medaram Jatara 2026 – Asia’s largest tribal congregation, Coca-Cola India, along with its bottling partner – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd., is strengthening its commitment to local ecosystems through large-scale hydration access, retailer enablement, and community-led interventions. Anchored in its ‘Locally Yours’ initiative, the company is working closely with neighborhood retailers, vendors, and workers to support local livelihoods and create economic opportunities while delivering refreshment at scale.

Across Medaram and nearby towns, local outlets and vendors have been supported with cooling infrastructure and on-ground assistance, helping them set up quickly and serve pilgrims efficiently. Mobile hydration carts, temporary stalls at high-footfall locations, and shaded rest areas have been set up to offer moments of relief to visitors navigating long walks and queues.

Vinay Nair, Chief Commercial Officer, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. said, “Our bottling operations are built to serve moments that matter, and few gatherings match the scale and cultural significance of Medaram Jatara. Working alongside thousands of local retailers, we’re ensuring that whether someone stops at a roadside stall or picks up a chilled bottle from their neighborhood store, refreshment is within reach. This is what our supply chain and partnerships are designed to deliver.”

Karan Achpal, Vice President – Franchise Operations, Developing Markets, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said, “Medaram Jatara is both a cultural landmark and a significant economic driver for the region. The support from the Telangana government has enabled us to mobilize our retail ecosystem to serve millions efficiently. Through our bottling partners and strong local relationships, we’re ensuring seamless beverage availability while creating economic opportunities. This model is driving local employment, strengthening retail businesses, and contributing to socio-economic growth that extends well beyond the festival.”

Alongside hydration and retail support, Anandana – The Coca-Cola India Foundation is also working with local authorities on #MaidaanSaaf, a community-led initiative that integrates waste collection with on-ground infrastructure. The effort supports sanitation workers and volunteers while encouraging responsible disposal and recycling. Furthermore, the initiative enables the deployment of public utility infrastructure made from recycled plastic waste, including changing rooms for visitors and benches for public seating, designed to support safety and convenience while demonstrating the practical reuse of post-consumer plastic in large public settings.

Through these initiatives, Coca-Cola India continues to deepen its connection with local communities, supporting livelihoods, enhancing comfort for pilgrims, and contributing meaningfully to one of the region’s most cherished cultural gatherings.

About Coca-Cola

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 its beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Thums Up XForce, Charged, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Kinley Soda, Rim Zim, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices and Honest Tea. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca GlucoCharge, Smartwater, Kinley, Kinley Copper, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water. Premium products constitute Schweppes’ range and Smartwater. In addition, it offers a 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 5 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 and packaging initiatives, sustainable agriculture and 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.

“This is a company press release that is not part of editorial content. No journalist of The Hindu was involved in the publication of this release.”

Published – January 30, 2026 03:28 pm IST