Coca-Cola Creates More Jobs

As the effect of the global credit crunch lingers on and companies resort to laying employees off, The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana (TCCBCG) has been looking for ways of creating jobs for the youth.

The company introduced what it calls the “Trolley Boys Project” during the latter part of 2007 to widen its distribution network as it finds ways of supporting the state's effort at creating job opportunities for the youth.

So far the project has created jobs for about 500 young people between the ages of 20 and 25. The young men who are recruited by the company through its dealers and distributors are given coca-cola branded trolleys and ice chests stuffed with the newly introduced 200ml coca-cola products and other canned as well as plastic bottled brands of The Coca-Cola Company.

The trolley boys are normally stationed at traffic-prone areas in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Koforidua to refresh motorists and pedestrians.

According to the Head of the Commercial Function of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana, Anton Van Zyl, the trolley boys make a personal profit of GH¢10 to GH¢15 daily, which amounts to between GH¢3,120.00 and GH¢4,680.00 per annum in a season- about five times more than the nominal GDP in Ghana.

“The success of this innovation from Coca-Cola has attracted the attention of other FMCG companies, who are copying with pride”, said Ike Cudjoe, Head of Public Affairs and Communications of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana.

The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana employs over 800 direct employees and 700 contract staff. The company has about 40,000 registered customers who rely mainly on selling its products for their income.

Apart from the 13 depots the company has across the country, TCCBCG has 61 Mini-Depot Operators (MDOs) that employ at least 10 people each and 128 Manual Distribution Centres (MDCs) which also employ 3 people each, across the country.

The “Trolley Boys” concept is the company's recent employment innovation.

From Business Desk