Bottler Coca-Cola HBC sees profit rise on strong demand for non-alcoholic drinks

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

Bottler Coca-Cola ​HBC forecast growth in ‍organic operating profit of up to 10 per cent in 2026, ‍driven by strong demand for non-alcoholic drinks and expansion into ‌markets with growth potential.

The company, ⁠which sells Coca-Cola, Sprite, ‌and ​Fanta ‍in European and African markets, reported an 11.5 per cent increase in 2025 organic ⁠operating profit, roughly ⁠in line with ⁠analyst expectations of 11 per cent.

It said organic operating profit would grow by between 7 per cent and 10 per cent in 2026.

Analysts were expecting profit growth of 9.4 per cent, on average, according to a company-compiled poll.

The beverage bottler reported annual net sales ‌of €11.6 ‌billion, just ahead of the average analyst estimate ‌of €11.56 billion.