The Coca-Cola distributorship work is a very profitable one and will turn out to be lucrative if you make the right plans and have enough investment capital to make the business successful. If you are thinking of becoming a Coca-cola distributor in any parts of Nigeria, this article provides you with information on how to start your distribution business, location of the headquarters of Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria.
Nigeria Bottling Company
The Nigeria Bottling Company was established in 1959, as a franchise bottler to Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria. The company now has 13 bottling plants, 28 commercial territories as well as 57 distribution depots in Nigeria. Over the years, Coca-Cola products have become one of the most loved, consumed and highly patronized soft drink brands in the country. The company produces beverages that have gained an enormous customer loyalty base over the years. This has made the company’s beverages the go-to and number one choice for many Nigerians and makes the business a profitable venture in Nigeria. The company provides varieties of drinks. Popular Coca-cola beverages include Coke, Fanta, Bigi Cola, Pepsi Cola.
How to become a Coca Cola distributor
Write an effective business plan
Just like every other business, a business plan is very important to the success of a business operation over time. An effective business plan will answer basic questions such as:
What varieties of Coca-Cola drinks that you want to sell?
Number of staff to hire in your company?
How will you market your business?
How much capital will you need to raise to start the business?
Where will your depot be located?
A concise and well-articulated business plan will help you prepare for future challenges in the business. It will also help you identify the necessary marketing strategies that will help you grow the business to success.
Business Registration
Business registration with CAC is a basic requirement to becoming a Coca-Cola distributor/depot in Nigeria. When your business is registered, it offers credibility and makes your business more trustworthy. This way, you can get supplies directly from the Coca-Cola bottling company. Other benefits of registering your business as a Coca-Cola distributor include receiving products at a discounted price. The process of registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria does not take more than a month.
Raise Capital
Every business, especially Coca-Cola drinks distribution requires a huge amount of capital to be run effectively. For starters, you need capital to buy a truck, crates of drinks, own a depot, or rent a warehouse and hire staff. The cost estimate of these items differs according to locations and where you purchase from. You must ensure you have the basic funds to run the business so you can expand as time goes on. There are different ways to raise capital for your business, one of which is writing business proposals to investors.
Register as a major Coca-Cola distributor
The next step to becoming a Coca-Cola distributor is registering with the company. When running the distribution business on a large scale, it is important you register with the company itself. You can do this by visiting the nearest Coca-Cola Company to register as a major dealer or distributor. Registering with the Coca-Cola Company offers you many opportunities such as being supplied products on credits as well as at a discounted price.
How to register with a Coca-Cola company
Visit the nearest company and request a Coca-Cola products distributorship form.
Fill in all the requirements in the form
If you have satisfied all requirements of the company, your request will be accepted.
If you have questions about the registration process of becoming a major distributor in the Coca-Cola bottling company, you can ask an on-site customer support service representative of the company.
The Space of the Depot
In order to run your distribution company successfully, you need a very big space that has been designed specifically for the purpose of storage of drinks. If you try to settle for adjoining multiple small shops, you might run into problems because Coca-Cola drinks are delicate and must be handled carefully to avoid losses. The place should be spacious enough to accommodate a variety of soft drinks. Your depot should have a parking area that can accommodate at least one big or two small trucks, depending on the largeness of your business. It should also have enough space in front of the storage facility/store to enable the movement of workers who are hauling crates to and fro.
Get a warehouse and sales office
When making plans to become a major Coca-Cola distributor in Nigeria, it is also important you get a perfect space for a sales office. Ensure the sales office is close enough to the warehouse so that business can run smoothly due to proximity. The sales office must also be close to your target audience.
Handing of Receipts
Since you are selling drinks in large quantities and most times too big corporations, there will often be requests for receipts. You must ensure that all activities are accounted for by providing a receipt booklet, an accountant and a printer.
Open for business
After registering your business with Coca-Cola Company and getting a place to use as a depot and sales office, you can now officially open your business to retailers who will sell the soft drinks to consumers.
Coca Cola Company in Nigeria and their Headquarters
If you plan on becoming a Coca-Cola distributor or dealer or distributor anywhere in Nigeria, you can visit any of their offices in your state and closest to you. However, below are the location of the headquarters of Coca Cola Company:
Nigerian Bottling Company
Cocoa Cola company in Lagos
Address: A. G. Leventis Building, Iddo House Lagos state, P.O. box 1159 Nigeria
Phone number: + 234 1 2706670
Coca Cola company in Abuja:
Idu Industrial districts, Jabbi, Abuja