Coca-Cola (KO.NYSE) is set to invest over US$4 billion in China and will build new plants between 2015 and 2017, the official Global Times reported, citing a company spokesman on Friday. The US drinks maker wants to counter competition in China as local companies continue to grow in size. “The beverage market is quite competitive right now and Coke is going to have to do a lot more acquisitions rather than growing through organic growth,” said Shaun Rein, Shanghai-based managing director of China Market Research Group. Coca-Cola held 16% market share by total volume in 2012 in China, which was down by 0.6% from five years earlier.
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