The Company

Overview

We are the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages in the world in terms of volume. We operate in territories in the following countries:

We also operate in Venezuela through our investment in KOF Venezuela.

Our company was organized on October 30, 1991 as a stock corporation with variable capital (sociedad anónima de capital variable) under the laws of Mexico for a term of 99 years. On December 5, 2006, as required by amendments to the Mexican Securities Market Law, we became a publicly traded stock corporation with variable capital (sociedad anónima bursátil de capital variable). Our legal name is Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. Our principal executive offices are located at Calle Mario Pani No. 100, Colonia Santa Fe Cuajimalpa, Alcaldía Cuajimalpa de Morelos, 05348, Ciudad de México, México. Our telephone number at this location is (52-55) 1519-5000. Our website is www.coca-colafemsa.com.

The following is an overview of our operations by consolidated reporting segment in 2019.

Corporate History

We are a subsidiary of FEMSA, a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through us, and in the beer industry as a shareholder of Heineken, a brewer with operations in over 70 countries. FEMSA also participates in the retail industry through FEMSA Comercio, which is comprised of (i) a proximity division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, (ii) a health division which includes drugstores and related operations and (iii) a fuel division, which operates OXXO Gas, a chain of retail fuel service stations. Additionally, FEMSA, through its strategic businesses unit, provides logistics services, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA’s business units and third-party clients. Through its business units, FEMSA has more than 295,000 employees in 12 countries.

We commenced operations in 1979, when a subsidiary of FEMSA acquired certain sparkling beverage bottlers in Mexico City and surrounding areas. In 1991, FEMSA transferred its ownership in the bottlers to FEMSA Refrescos, S.A. de C.V., our corporate predecessor. In June 1993, a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company subscribed for 30.0% of our capital stock in the form of Series D shares. In September 1993, FEMSA sold Series L shares that represented 19.0% of our capital stock to the public, and we listed these shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange and, in the form of ADSs, on the NYSE.

In a series of transactions since 1994, we acquired new territories, brands and other businesses, including Argentina and certain territories in southern Mexico, which today comprise our business. In May 2003, we acquired Panamerican Beverages Inc., or Panamco, and began producing and distributing Coca-Cola trademark beverages in additional territories in the central, southeastern and northeastern regions of Mexico and in Central America (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama), Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil, along with bottled water, beer and other beverages in some of these territories.

In November 2006, FEMSA acquired 148,000,000 of our Series D shares from certain subsidiaries of The Coca-Cola Company, which increased FEMSA’s ownership to 53.7%.

In November 2007, we acquired together with The Coca-Cola Company 100.0% of the shares of capital stock of Jugos del Valle, S.A.P.I. de C.V., or Jugos del Valle. In 2008, we, The Coca-Cola Company and all Mexican and Brazilian Coca-Cola bottlers entered into a joint business for the Mexican and Brazilian operations, respectively, of Jugos del Valle.

In December 2007 and May 2008, we sold most of our proprietary brands to The Coca-Cola Company. The proprietary brands are now being licensed back to us by The Coca-Cola Company pursuant to our bottler agreements.

In May 2008, we entered into a transaction with The Coca-Cola Company to acquire its wholly owned bottling franchise Refrigerantes Minas Gerais, Ltda., or REMIL, located in the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil.

In July 2008, we acquired the Agua de los Angeles bulk water business in Mexico City and surrounding areas from Grupo Embotellador CIMSA, S.A. de C.V., or Grupo CIMSA, at the time one of the Coca-Cola bottling franchises in Mexico. The trademarks remain with The Coca-Cola Company. We subsequently merged Agua de los Angeles into our bulk water business under the Ciel brand.

In February 2009, we acquired together with The Coca-Cola Company the Brisa bottled water business in Colombia from Bavaria, S.A., a subsidiary of SABMiller plc. We acquired the production assets and the distribution territory, and The Coca-Cola Company acquired the Brisa brand.

In May 2009, we entered into an agreement to manufacture, distribute and sell the Crystal trademark water products in Brazil jointly with The Coca-Cola Company.

In August 2010, we acquired from The Coca-Cola Company, along with other Brazilian Coca-Cola bottlers, Leão Alimentos e Bebidas, Ltda., or Leão Alimentos, manufacturer and distributor of the Matte Leão tea brand, which would later be integrated with the Brazilian operations of Jugos del Valle.

In March 2011, we acquired together with The Coca-Cola Company, Industrias Lácteas, S.A. (known as Estrella Azul), a Panamanian conglomerate that participates in the dairy and juice-based beverage categories in Panama.

In October 2011, we merged with Administradora de Acciones del Norte, S.A.P.I. de C.V., or Grupo Tampico, a Mexican bottler with operations in the states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, and Veracruz, as well as in parts of the states of Hidalgo, Puebla and Queretaro.

In December 2011, we merged with Corporación de los Angeles, S.A. de C.V., also part of Grupo CIMSA, a Mexican Coca-Cola bottler with operations mainly in the states of Morelos and Mexico, as well as in parts of the states of Guerrero and Michoacan. As part of our merger with Grupo CIMSA, we also acquired a minority equity interest in Promotora Industrial Azucarera, S.A de C.V., or PIASA.

In May 2012, we merged with Grupo Fomento Queretano, S.A.P.I. de C.V., or Grupo Fomento Queretano, a Mexican bottler with operations mainly in the state of Queretaro, as well as in parts of the states of Mexico, Hidalgo and Guanajuato. As part of our merger with Grupo Fomento Queretano, we increased our minority equity interest in PIASA.

In August 2012, we acquired, through Jugos del Valle, an indirect minority participation in Santa Clara Mercantil de Pachuca, S.A. de C.V., or Santa Clara, a producer of milk and value-added dairy products in Mexico.

In January 2013, we acquired, through CIBR, a 51.0% stake in KOF Philippines from The Coca-Cola Company. In December 2018, CIBR completed the sale of its stake in KOF Philippines back to The Coca-Cola Company through the exercise of CIBR’s option to sell.

In May 2013, we merged with Grupo Yoli, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican bottler with operations mainly in the state of Guerrero, as well as in parts of the state of Oaxaca. As part of our merger with Grupo Yoli, we increased our minority equity interest in PIASA.

In August 2013, we acquired Companhia Fluminense de Refrigerantes, or Companhia Fluminense, a franchise that operates in parts of the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. As part of our acquisition of Companhia Fluminense, we also acquired an additional minority equity interest in Leão Alimentos.

In October 2013, we acquired Spaipa S.A. Industria Brasileira de Bebidas, or Spaipa, a Brazilian bottler with operations in the state of Parana and in parts of the state of São Paulo. As part of our acquisition of Spaipa, we increased our minority equity interest in Leão Alimentos and acquired a 50.0% stake in Fountain Água Mineral Ltda., a joint venture to develop water and non-carbonated beverages together with The Coca-Cola Company.

In 2016 and 2017, we entered into certain distribution agreements with Monster Energy Company to sell and distribute Monster trademark energy drinks in most of our territories. These agreements have a ten-year term and are automatically renewed for up to two five-year terms.

In August 2016, we acquired, through Leão Alimentos, an indirect participation in Laticínios Verde Campo Ltda., a producer of milk and dairy products in Brazil.

In December 2016, we acquired Vonpar, a Brazilian bottler of Coca-Cola trademark products with operations in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in Brazil. As part of our acquisition of Vonpar, we increased our minority equity interest in Leão Alimentos.

In March 2017, we acquired together with The Coca-Cola Company, through our Mexican, Brazilian, Argentine, Colombian subsidiaries and also through our interest in Jugos del Valle in Mexico, a participation in the AdeS plant-based beverage businesses. As a result of this acquisition, we have exclusive distribution rights of AdeS plant-based beverages in our territories.

In April 2018, Compañía Inversionista en Bebidas del Norte, S.L., one of our subsidiaries, acquired from The Coca-Cola Company ABASA, a Guatemalan bottler of Coca-Cola trademark products with operation in the northeast region of Guatemala.

In April 2018, Compañía de Inversiones Moderna, S.L., one of our subsidiaries, acquired from The Coca-Cola Company Los Volcanes, a Guatemalan bottler of Coca-Cola trademark products with operations in the southwest region of Guatemala.

In June 2018, Inversiones en Bebidas Refrescantes Ibérica, S.L., one of our subsidiaries, acquired from The Coca-Cola Company, Monresa, the Uruguayan bottler of Coca-Cola trademark products.

Capital Stock

On April 11, 2019, we completed an eight-for-one stock split, or the “Stock Split”, whereby (a) for each Series A share, holders of Series A shares received eight new Series A shares, (b) for each Series D share, holders of Series D shares received eight new Series D shares and (c) for each Series L share, holders of Series L shares received one unit (each consisting of 3 Series B shares (with full voting rights) and 5 Series L shares (with limited voting rights)). Effective on April 11, 2019, our units were listed for trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange and ADSs, each representing 10 units, were listed for trading on the NYSE.

As of the date of this report, (1) FEMSA indirectly owned Series A shares equal to 47.2% of our capital stock (56.0% of our capital stock with full voting rights), and (2) The Coca-Cola Company indirectly owned Series D shares equal to 27.8% of our capital stock (32.9% of our capital stock with full voting rights). Series L shares with limited voting rights constituted 15.6% of our capital stock, and Series B shares constituted the remaining 9.4% of our capital stock (the remaining 11.1% of our capital stock with full voting rights).

Business Strategy

We operate with a large geographic footprint in Latin America. To consolidate our position as a global leader in the beverage business, we continue to expand our robust portfolio of beverages, transforming and enhancing our operational capabilities, inspiring a cultural evolution, and embedding sustainability throughout our business to create economic, social and environmental value for all of our stakeholders.

Our view on sustainable development is a comprehensive part of our business strategy. We base our efforts in our ethics and values, focusing on (i) our people, (ii) our communities and (iii) our planet, and we take a responsible and disciplined approach to the use of resources and capital allocation.

To maximize growth and profitability and driven by our centers of excellence’s initiatives, we plan on continuing to execute the following key strategies: (i) accelerate revenue growth, (ii) increase our business scale and profitability across categories, (iii) continue our expansion through organic growth and strategic joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, (iv) accelerate our end-to-end transformation through the digitization of our processes, (v) empower people to lead this transformation and (vi) create a leaner and more efficient organization focused on value creation.

We seek to accelerate our revenue growth through the introduction of new categories, products and presentations that better meet our consumers’ needs and preferences, while maintaining our core products and improving our profitability. To address our consumers’ diverse lifestyles, we have developed new products through innovation and have expanded the availability of low- and non-caloric beverages by reformulating and broadening our product portfolio to reduce added sugar and offering smaller presentations of our products. As of December 31, 2019, approximately 37.2% of our brands were low- or non-caloric beverages, and we continue to expand our product portfolio to offer more options to our consumers so they can satisfy their hydration and nutrition needs. See “—Our Products” and “—Packaging.” In addition, we inform our consumers through front labeling on the nutrient composition and caloric content of our beverages. We have been pioneers in the introduction of the Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA), and we perform responsible advertising practices and marketing. We voluntarily adhere to national and international codes of conduct in advertising and marketing, including communications targeted to minors who are developed based on the Responsible Marketing policies and Global School Beverage Guidelines of The Coca-Cola Company, achieving full compliance with all such codes and guidelines in all of the countries where we operate.

We view our relationship with The Coca-Cola Company as integral to our business, and together we have developed marketing strategies to better understand and address our consumer needs. See “—Marketing.”

Our Territories

The following map shows our territories, giving estimates in each case of the population to which we offer products and the number of retailers of our beverages as of December 31, 2019:

Our Products

We produce, market, sell and distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages. The Coca-Cola trademark beverages include: sparkling beverages (colas and flavored sparkling beverages), waters and still beverages (including juice drinks, coffee, teas, milk, value-added dairy, sports drinks, energy drinks and plant-based drinks). In addition, we distribute and sell Heineken beer products in our Brazilian territories.

Our most important brand, Coca-Cola, together with its line of low-calorie products, accounted for 62.4%, 62.2% and 60.8% (excluding sales volume of KOF Philippines) of our total sales volume in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The following table sets forth the trademarks of the main products we distributed in 2019:

Packaging

We produce, market, sell and distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages in each of our territories in containers authorized by The Coca-Cola Company, which consist primarily of a variety of returnable and non-returnable presentations in the form of glass bottles, cans and plastic bottles mainly made of PET resin. We use the term presentation to refer to the packaging unit in which we sell our products. Presentation sizes for our Coca-Cola trademark beverages range from a 6.5-ounce personal size to a 3-liter multiple serving size. For all of our products excluding water, we consider a multiple serving size as equal to, or larger than, 1.0 liter. In general, personal sizes have a higher price per unit case as compared to multiple serving sizes. We offer both returnable and non-returnable presentations, which allow us to offer portfolio alternatives based on convenience and affordability to implement revenue management strategies and to target specific distribution channels and population segments in our territories. In addition, we sell some Coca-Cola trademark beverage syrups in containers designed for soda fountain use, which we refer to as fountain. We also sell bottled water products in bulk sizes, which refer to presentations equal to or larger than 5.0 liters and up to 20.0 liters, which have a much lower average price per unit case than our other beverage products.

Sales Volume and Transactions Overview

We measure total sales volume in terms of unit cases and number of transactions. “Unit case” refers to 192 ounces of finished beverage product (24 eight-ounce servings) and, when applied to soda fountains, refers to the volume of syrup, powders and concentrate that is required to produce 192 ounces of finished beverage product. “Transactions” refers to the number of single units (e.g. a can or a bottle) sold, regardless of their size or volume or whether they are sold individually or in multipacks, except for fountain which represents multiple transactions based on a standard 12 oz. serving. Except when specifically indicated, “sales volume” in this annual report refers to sales volume in terms of unit cases.

The following table illustrates our historical sales volume and number of transactions for each of our consolidated reporting segments, as well as our unit case and transaction mix by category.

The following table illustrates the multiple serving presentations and returnable packaging for sparkling beverages volume:

The following table illustrates our historical sales volume and number of transactions performance by category for each of our operations and our reporting segments for 2019 as compared to 2018:

The following table illustrates our unit case mix by category for each of our operations and our consolidated reporting segments for 2019:

Seasonality

Sales of our products are seasonal in all of the countries where we operate, as our sales volumes generally increase during the summer of each country and during the year-end holiday season. In Mexico, Central America and Colombia, we typically achieve our highest sales during the months of April through August as well as during the year-end holidays in December. In Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, our highest sales levels occur during the summer months of October through March, including the year-end holidays in December.

Marketing

We, in conjunction with The Coca-Cola Company, have developed a marketing strategy to promote the sale and consumption of our products. We rely extensively on advertising, sales promotions and retailer support programs to target the particular preferences of our consumers. Our consolidated marketing expenses in 2019 were Ps.6,748 million, net of Ps.2,274 million contributed by The Coca-Cola Company.

Retailer Support Programs. Support programs include providing retailers with point-of-sale display materials and consumer sales promotions, such as contests, sweepstakes and the giveaway of product samples.

Coolers. Coolers play an integral role in our clients’ plans for success. Increasing both cooler coverage and the number of cooler doors among our retailers is important to ensure that our wide variety of products are properly displayed, while strengthening our merchandising capacity in our distribution channels to significantly improve our point-of-sale execution.

Advertising. We advertise in all major communications media. We focus our advertising efforts on increasing brand recognition by consumers and improving our customer relations. National advertising campaigns are designed and proposed by The Coca-Cola Company’s local affiliates in the countries where we operate, with our input at the local or regional level. Point-of-sale merchandising and advertising efforts are proposed and implemented by us, with a focus on increasing our connection with customers and consumers.

Marketing in our Distribution Channels. In order to provide more dynamic and specialized marketing of our products, our strategy is to classify our markets and develop targeted efforts for each consumer segment or distribution channel. Our principal channels are small retailers, “on-premise” accounts, such as restaurants and bars, supermarkets and third party distributors. Presence in these channels entails a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the purchasing patterns and preferences of various groups of beverage consumers in each of the different types of locations or distribution channels. In response to this analysis, we tailor our product, price, packaging and distribution strategies to meet the particular needs of and exploit the potential of each channel.

Multi-Segmentation. We have implemented a multi-segmentation strategy in all of our markets. These strategies consist of the definition of a strategic market cluster or group and the implementation and assignment of different product/price/package portfolios and service models to such market cluster or group. These clusters are defined based on consumption occasion, competitive environment, income level, and types of distribution channels.

We continuously evaluate our distribution model in order to fit with the local dynamics of the marketplace and analyze the way we go to market, recognizing different service needs from our customers, while looking for a more efficient distribution model. As part of this strategy, we are rolling out a variety of new distribution models throughout our territories looking for improvements in our distribution network.

We use several sales and distribution models depending on market, geographic conditions and the customer’s profile: (i) the pre-sale system, which separates the sales and delivery functions, permitting trucks to be loaded with the mix of products that retailers have previously ordered, thereby increasing both sales and distribution efficiency; (ii) the conventional truck route system, in which the person in charge of the delivery makes immediate sales from inventory available on the truck; (iii) sales through digital platforms to access technologically enabled customers; (iv) the telemarketing system, which could be combined with pre-sales visits; and (v) sales through third-party wholesalers and other distributors of our products.

As part of the pre-sale system, sales personnel also provide merchandising services during retailer visits, which we believe enhance the shopper experience at the point-of-sale. We believe that an adequate number of service visits to retailers and frequency of deliveries are essential elements in an effective selling and distribution system of our products.

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are reinforcing our presence in digital sales channels, such as food aggregators, digital platforms and telemarketing, in an effort to safeguard the health of our workforce and business partners. This reinforcement is aligned with our overall digitization and omnichannel strategies.

In 2019, no single customer accounted for more than 10.0% of our consolidated total sales.

Our distribution centers range from large warehousing facilities to small cross-docking facilities. In addition to our fleet of trucks, we distribute our products in certain locations through electric carts and hand-trucks in order to comply with local environmental and traffic regulations. In some of our territories, we rely on third parties to transport our finished products from our bottling plants to our distribution centers and, in some cases, directly to our customers.

Mexico. We contract with a subsidiary of FEMSA, Solistica, S.A. de C.V., for the transportation of finished products from our bottling plants to our distribution centers in Mexico. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Related Party Transactions.” From the distribution centers, we distribute our finished products to retailers mainly through our own fleet of trucks. In designated areas in Mexico, third-party distributors deliver our products to retailers and consumers, allowing us to access these areas on a cost-effective basis.

In Mexico, we sell a majority of our beverages at small retail stores to consumers who may take the beverages for consumption at home or elsewhere. We also sell products through modern distribution channels, the “on-premise” consumption segment, home delivery, supermarkets and other locations. Modern distribution channels include large and organized chain retail outlets such as wholesale supermarkets, discount stores and convenience stores that sell fast-moving consumer goods, where retailers can buy large volumes of products from various producers. The “on-premise” consumption segment consists of sales through points-of-sale where products are consumed at the establishment from which they were purchased. This includes retailers such as restaurants and bars as well as stadiums, auditoriums and theaters.

Brazil. In Brazil, we distribute our finished products to retailers through a combination of our own fleet of trucks and third party distributors, while maintaining control over the selling activities. In designated zones in Brazil, third-party distributors purchase our products and resell them to retailers. In Brazil, we sell a majority of our beverages at small retail stores. We also sell products through modern distribution channels and “on-premise” consumption. The “on-premise” consumption segment consists of sales through points-of-sale where products are consumed at the establishment from which they were purchased. This includes retailers such as restaurants and bars as well as stadiums, auditoriums and theaters. Modern distribution channels in Brazil include large and organized chain retail outlets such as wholesale supermarkets and discount stores that sell fast-moving consumer goods.

Territories other than Mexico and Brazil. We distribute our finished products to retailers through a combination of our own fleet of trucks and third party distributors. In most of our territories, an important part of our total sales volume is sold through small retailers.

In the weeks leading up to the date of this report, a larger proportion of our sales have been made through modern distribution channels in all of our territories, as the imposition of measures and regulations aimed at containing the COVID-19 outbreak have tilted consumer preferences towards these channels.

Principal Competitors

We are leaders in the beverage market, being the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola trademarks in the world by sales volume. During 2019, we produced and sold 11.1 % of the Coca-Cola system’s volume worldwide.

The characteristics of our territories are very diverse. Central Mexico and our territories in Argentina are densely populated and have a large number of competing beverage brands as compared to the rest of our territories. Our territories in Brazil are densely populated but have lower consumption of beverage products as compared to Mexico. Uruguay has a high per capita consumption and low population density. Portions of southern Mexico, Central America and Colombia are large and mountainous areas with low population density, low per capita income and low consumption of beverages.

Our principal competitors are local Pepsi bottlers and other bottlers and distributors of local beverage brands. We also face competition in many of our territories from producers of low price beverages, commonly referred to as “B brands.” A number of our competitors in Central America, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia offer beer in addition to sparkling beverages, still beverages and water, which may enable them to achieve distribution efficiencies.

While competitive conditions are different in each of our territories, we compete mainly in terms of price, packaging, effective promotional activities, access to retail outlets and sufficient shelf space, customer service, product innovation and product alternatives and the ability to identify and satisfy consumer preferences. We compete by seeking to offer products at an attractive price in the different segments in our markets and by building on the value of our brands. We believe that the introduction of new products and new presentations has been a significant competitive advantage that allows us to increase demand for our products, provide different options to consumers and increase new consumption opportunities. See “—Our Products” and “—Packaging.”

Mexico and Central America. Our principal competitors in Mexico are bottlers of Pepsi products. We compete with Organización Cultiba, S.A.B. de C.V., a joint venture formed by Grupo Embotelladoras Unidas, S.A.B. de C.V., the former Pepsi bottler in central and southeast Mexico, a subsidiary of PepsiCo and Empresas Polar, S.A., a beer distributor and Pepsi bottler. Our main competition in the juice category in Mexico is Grupo Jumex. In the water category, our main competitor is Bonafont, a water brand owned by Danone. In addition, we compete with Cadbury Schweppes in sparkling beverages and with other local brands in our Mexican territories, as well as “B brand” producers, such as Ajemex, S.A. de C.V. (Big Cola bottler) and Consorcio AGA, S.A. de C.V. (Red Cola bottler), that offer various presentations of sparkling and still beverages.

In the countries that comprise our Central America region, our main competitors are Pepsi and Big Cola bottlers. In Guatemala and Nicaragua, we compete with a joint venture between AmBev and The Central American Bottler Corporation. In Costa Rica, our principal competitor is Florida Bebidas S.A., subsidiary of Florida Ice and Farm Co. In Panama, our main competitor is Cervecería Nacional, S.A. We also face competition from “B brands” offering multiple serving size presentations in some Central American countries.

South America. Our principal competitor in Colombia is Postobón, a local bottler (Manzana Postobón and Colombiana bottler). Postobón sells Pepsi products and is a vertically integrated producer, the owners of which hold other significant commercial and industrial interests in Colombia. We also compete with low-price producers, such as Ajecolombia S.A., the producers of Big Cola, which principally offer multiple serving size presentations in the sparkling and still beverage industry.

In Brazil, we compete against AmBev, a company that distributes Pepsi brands, local brands with flavors such as guarana, and proprietary beer brands. We also compete against “B brands” or “Tubainas,” which are small, local producers of low-cost sparkling beverages that represent a significant portion of the sparkling beverage market.

In Argentina, our main competitor is Buenos Aires Embotellador S.A. (BAESA), a Pepsi bottler, which is owned by Argentina’s principal brewery, Quilmes Industrial S.A., and indirectly controlled by AmBev. In the water category, Levité, a water brand owned by Danone, is our main competition. In addition, we compete with a number of competitors offering generic, low-priced sparkling beverages, as well as many other generic products and private label proprietary supermarket brands.

In Uruguay, our main competitor is Salus, a water brand owned by Danone. We also compete against Fábricas Nacionales de Cerveza S.A. (FNC), a Pepsi bottler and distributor that is partially owned by Argentina’s principal brewery, Quilmes Industrial S.A., and indirectly controlled by AmBev. In addition, we compete with low-priced regional producers, as well as many other generic and imported products.

Raw Materials

Pursuant to our bottler agreements, we are authorized to manufacture, sell and distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages within specific geographic areas, and we are required to purchase concentrate for all Coca-Cola trademark beverages in all of our territories from affiliates of The Coca-Cola Company and sweeteners and other raw materials from companies authorized by The Coca-Cola Company. Concentrate prices for Coca-Cola trademark beverages are determined as a percentage of the weighted average retail price in local currency net of applicable taxes. Although The Coca-Cola Company has the right to unilaterally set the price of concentrates, in practice this percentage has historically been set pursuant to periodic negotiations with The Coca-Cola Company. See “—Bottler Agreements.”

In the past, The Coca-Cola Company has increased concentrate prices for Coca-Cola trademark beverages in some of the countries where we operate. For example, The Coca-Cola Company (i) gradually increased concentrate prices for certain Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Costa Rica and Panama beginning in 2014 and through 2018; (ii) gradually increased concentrate prices for flavored water in Mexico beginning in 2015 and through 2018; (iii) increased concentrate prices for certain Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Colombia in 2016 and 2017; and (iv) began to gradually increase concentrate prices for certain Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Mexico beginning in 2017 and through 2019. The Coca-Cola Company may continue to unilaterally increase concentrate prices in the future, and we may not be successful in negotiating or implementing measures to mitigate the negative effect this may have in the prices of our products or our results. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Major Shareholders—Cooperation Framework with The Coca-Cola Company.”

In addition to concentrate, we purchase sweeteners, carbon dioxide, PET resin and preforms to make plastic bottles, finished plastic and glass bottles, cans, caps and fountain containers, as well as other packaging materials and raw materials. Our bottler agreements provide that these materials may be purchased only from suppliers approved by The Coca-Cola Company. Prices for certain raw materials, including those used in the bottling of our products, mainly PET resin, finished plastic bottles, aluminum cans, HFCS and certain sweeteners, are paid in or determined with reference to the U.S. dollar, and therefore local prices in a particular country may increase based on changes in the applicable exchange rates. Our most significant packaging raw material costs arise from the purchase of PET resin, the price of which is related to crude oil prices and global PET resin supply. The average price that we paid for PET resin in U.S. dollars in 2019 decreased 4.7% as compared to 2018 in all our territories. In addition, given that high currency volatility has affected and continues to affect most of our territories, the average price for PET resin in local currencies was lower in 2019 in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil and higher in Argentina. In 2019, we purchased certain raw materials in advance, implemented a price fixing strategy and entered into certain derivative transactions, which helped us capture opportunities with respect to raw material costs and currency exchange rates. 

Under our agreements with The Coca-Cola Company, we may use raw or refined sugar and HFCS in our products. Sugar prices in all of the countries where we operate, other than Brazil, are subject to local regulations and other barriers to market entry that, in certain countries, often cause us to pay for sugar in excess of international market prices. In recent years, international sugar prices experienced significant volatility. Across our territories, our average price for sugar in U.S. dollars, taking into account our financial hedging activities, decreased by approximately 11.0% in 2019 as compared to 2018; however, the average price for sugar in local currency was higher in Argentina and Colombia.

We categorize water as a raw material in our business. We obtain water for the production of some of our natural spring water products, such as Manantial in Colombia and Crystal in Brazil, from spring water pursuant to concessions granted.

None of the materials or supplies that we use is presently in short supply, although the supply of specific materials could be adversely affected by strikes, weather conditions, governmental controls, national emergency situations, water shortages or the failure to maintain our existing water concessions.

Mexico and Central America. In Mexico, we mainly purchase PET resin from Indorama Ventures Polymers México, S. de R.L. de C.V. and DAK Resinas Americas Mexico, S.A. de C.V., which Alpla México, S.A. de C.V., known as Alpla, and Envases Universales de México, S.A.P.I. de C.V. manufacture into non-returnable plastic bottles for us. Also, we have introduced into our business Asian global suppliers, such as Far Eastern New Century Corp., known as FENC and SFX – Jiangyin Xingyu New Material Co. Ltd., which support our PET resin strategy and are known as the top PET global suppliers.

We purchase all of our cans from Crown Envases México, S.A. de C.V., formerly known as Fábricas de Monterrey, S.A. de C.V., and Envases Universales de México, S.A.P.I. de C.V. We mainly purchase our glass bottles from Vitro America, S. de R.L. de C.V., FEVISA Industrial, S.A. de C.V., known as FEVISA, and Glass & Silice, S.A. de C.V.

We purchase sugar from, among other suppliers, PIASA, Beta San Miguel, S.A. de C.V. or Beta San Miguel, Ingenio La Gloria, S.A. and Impulsora Azucarera del Trópico, S.A. de C.V., all of them sugar cane producers. As of April 10, 2020, we held a 36.4% and 2.7% equity interest in PIASA and Beta San Miguel, respectively. We purchase HFCS from Ingredion México, S.A. de C.V. and Almidones Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V., known as Almex.

Sugar prices in Mexico are subject to local regulations and other barriers to market entry that often cause us to pay higher prices than those paid in the international market. As a result, prices in Mexico have no correlation to international market prices. In 2019, sugar prices in local currency in Mexico increased approximately 4.0% as compared to 2018.

In Central America, the majority of our raw materials such as glass and non-returnable plastic bottles are purchased from several local suppliers. We purchase our cans from Envases Universales Ball de Centroamérica, S.A. and Envases Universales de México, S.A.P.I. de C.V. Sugar is available from suppliers that represent several local producers. In Costa Rica, we acquire plastic non-returnable bottles from Alpla C.R. S.A., and in Nicaragua we acquire such plastic bottles from Alpla Nicaragua, S.A.

South America. In Colombia, we use sugar as a sweetener in all of our caloric beverages, which we buy from several domestic sources. Sugar prices in Colombia remained flat in U.S. dollars and increased 11.0% in local currency, as compared to 2018. We purchase non-returnable plastic bottles from Amcor Rigid Plastics de Colombia, S.A. and Envases de Tocancipa S.A.S. (affiliate of Envases Universales de México, S.A.P.I. de C.V.). We have historically purchased all of our non-returnable glass bottles from O-I Peldar and other global suppliers in the Middle East. We purchase all of our cans from Crown Envases México, S.A. de C.V. and Crown Colombiana, S.A. Grupo Ardila Lulle (owners of our competitor Postobón) owns a minority equity interest in certain of our suppliers, including O-I Peldar and Crown Colombiana, S.A.

In Brazil, we also use sugar as a sweetener in all of our caloric beverages. Sugar is available at local market prices, which historically have been similar to international prices. Sugar prices in Brazil decreased approximately 9.0% in U.S. dollars and 1.0% in local currency as compared to 2018. Taking into account our financial hedging activities, our sugar prices in Brazil decreased approximately 8.3% in U.S. dollars. See “Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk—Commodity Price Risk.” We purchase non-returnable glass bottles, plastic bottles and cans from several domestic and international suppliers. We mainly purchase PET resin from local suppliers such as Indorama Ventures Polímeros S.A.

In Argentina, we mainly use HFCS that we purchase from several different local suppliers as a sweetener in our products. We purchase glass bottles and other raw materials from several domestic sources. We purchase plastic preforms at competitive prices from Andina Empaques S.A., a local subsidiary of Embotelladora Andina, S.A., a Coca-Cola bottler with operations in Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, Alpla Avellaneda, S.A., AMCOR Argentina, and other local suppliers.

In Uruguay, we also use sugar as a sweetener in all of our caloric beverages, which is available at Brazil’s local market prices. Sugar prices in Uruguay decreased approximately 8.0% in U.S. dollars and increased 5.8% in local currency as compared to 2018. Our main supplier of sugar is Nardini Agroindustrial Ltda., which is based in Brazil. We purchase PET resin from several Asian suppliers, such as SFX – Jiangyin Xingyu New Material Co. Ltd. and India Reliance Industry (a joint venture with DAK Resinas Americas Mexico, S.A. de C.V.), and we purchase non-returnable plastic bottles from global PET converters, such as Cristalpet S.A. (affiliate of Envases Universales de México, S.A.P.I. de C.V.).

Regulation

We are subject to different regulations in each of the territories where we operate. The adoption of new laws or regulations in the countries where we operate may increase our operating costs, our liabilities or impose restrictions on our operations which, in turn, may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results. Further changes in current regulations may result in an increase in compliance costs, which may have an adverse effect on our future results or financial condition.

Price Controls

Voluntary price restraints or statutory price controls have been imposed historically in several of the countries where we operate. Currently, there are no price controls on our products in any of the territories where we operate, except for voluntary price restraints in Argentina, where authorities directly supervise certain of our products sold through supermarkets as a measure to control inflation. Any changes to applicable law affecting prices could have an adverse effect on our business. See “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Company—Regulatory developments may adversely affect our business financial condition, results of operations and prospects.”

Taxation of Beverages

All the countries where we operate, except for Panama, impose value-added tax on the sale of sparkling beverages, with a rate of 16.0% in Mexico, 12.0% in Guatemala, 15.0% in Nicaragua, an average percentage of 15.9% in Costa Rica, 19.0% in Colombia, 21.0% in Argentina, 22.0% in Uruguay, and in Brazil 16.0% in the state of Parana, 17.0% in the states of Goias and Santa Catarina, 18.0% in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and 20.0% in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Rio Grande do Sul. The states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Parana also charge an additional 2.0% on sales as a contribution to a poverty eradication fund. In Brazil the value-added tax is grossed-up and added, along with federal sales tax, at the taxable basis. In addition, we are responsible for charging and collecting the value-added tax from each of our retailers in Brazil, based on average retail prices for each state where we operate, defined primarily through a survey conducted by the government of each state, which in 2019 represented to us an average taxation of approximately 17.6% over net sales.

Several of the countries where we operate impose excise or other taxes, as follows:

Tax Reforms

The Brazilian federal production tax rates and federal sales tax rates increased in 2017 and 2018 and remained flat in 2019. In early 2017, the Supreme Court decided that the value-added tax would not be used as the basis for calculating the federal sales tax, resulting in a reduction of the federal sales tax. The Brazilian tax authorities have appealed the Supreme Court’s decision and such appeal is in process. However, our Brazilian subsidiaries commenced legal proceedings to ascertain their ability to calculate federal sales tax without using the value-added tax as a basis, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, and obtained a final favorable resolution in 2019. In 2019, the federal production and sales taxes together resulted in an average of 16.3% tax over net sales.

In recent years, the excise tax rate on concentrate in Brazil has undergone recurrent temporary fluctuations. The excise tax rate was reduced from 20.0% to 4.0% from September 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018, was increased from 4.0% to 12.0% from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, was reduced to 8.0% from July 1, 2019 to September 30, 2019 and was increased to 10.0% from October 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. The excise tax rate was reduced to 4.0% from January 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020, will increase to 8.0% from June 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020 and will be reduced again to 4.0% on December 1, 2020. The tax credit that we may recognize in our Brazilian operations in connection with purchases of concentrate in the Manaus Free Trade Zone will be affected accordingly.

On January 1, 2018, a tax reform became effective in Argentina. This reform reduced the income tax rate from 35.0% to 30.0% for 2018 and 2019, and then to 25.0% for the following years. In addition, such reform imposed a new tax on dividends paid to non-resident stockholders and resident individuals at a rate of 7.0% for 2018 and 2019, and then to 13.0% for the following years. The tax reform decreased the sales tax rate in the province of Buenos Aires from 1.75% to 1.5% in 2018. However, the reform increased the sales tax rate in the City of Buenos Aires from 1.0% to 2.0% in 2018, and scheduled a reduction to 1.5% in 2019, to 1.0% in 2020, to 0.5% in 2021 and to 0.0% in 2022. Nonetheless, the Argentine government issued an executive decree with an order to maintain the sales taxes rate in the City of Buenos Aires at a rate of 1.5% through 2020, without ruling on whether the scheduled reductions for 2021 and 2022 will occur.

On December 23, 2019, Argentina enacted a new tax reform that became effective as of January 1, 2020. This reform maintained the income tax at a rate of 30.0% and the withholding tax on dividends paid to non-resident stockholders and resident individuals at a rate of 7.0% for two more years. In addition, beginning on January 1, 2020, taxpayers may deduct 100.0% of the negative or positive inflation adjustment annually, instead of deducting such inflation adjustment through a period of six years.

On January 1, 2019, the Mexican government eliminated the right to offset any tax credit against any payable tax (universal offset or compensación universal). Effective as of such date, tax credits were only offset against taxes of the same nature, and it is not possible to offset tax credits against taxes withheld to third parties.

On January 1, 2020, a tax reform became effective in Mexico. The most relevant changes are: (i) a limitation on taxpayers’ annual net interest expense deduction equal to 30.0% of the taxpayer’s adjusted taxable income (comparable to EBITDA), provided that (x) any interest expenses of a company below Ps.20 million (approximately US$1 million) are not subject to the rule and can therefore be deducted in their entirety and (y) any deductible interest that is not allowed to be deducted in a given year because of the 30.0% limit, may be carried forward for the subsequent 10 years; (ii) stringent rules to categorize certain foreign income and foreign subsidiaries that are subject to low levels of taxation as subject to Mexican income tax; (iii) an inflation-related increase in the excise tax applicable to the production, sale and import of beverages with added sugar and HFCS from Ps.1.17 to Ps.1.2616 per liter, which excise tax will be subject to an annual increase based on the previous year’s inflation figures starting on January 1, 2021; (iv) an expansion of the definition of “energy drink” to apply an excise tax of 25.0% on beverages that include a mix of caffeine and any other stimulants; and (v) a modification of the Mexican Federal Tax Code to (a) increase the number of events that may trigger the joint and several liability of partners, shareholders, directors, managers or any other person responsible for the management of a business, (b) add a new disclosure obligation of certain reportable transactions to tax authorities, and (c) increase the tax authorities’ discretion to limit tax benefits or attributes in situations where authorities believe the tax benefit, rather than a business reason or an alternative economic benefit, is the primary factor behind a transaction or legal structure.

On January 1, 2019, a new tax reform became effective in Colombia. This reform reduced the previous income tax rate of 33.0% for 2019 to 32.0% for 2020, to 31.0% for 2021 and to 30.0% for 2022. The minimum assumed income tax (renta presuntiva sobre el patrimonio) was also reduced from 3.5% for 2018 to 1.5% for 2019 and 2020, and to 0.0% for 2021. In addition, the thin capitalization ratio was adjusted from 3:1 to 2:1, and was modified to apply only to transactions between related parties. Commencing on January 1, 2019, value-added tax, which was applied only to the first sale in the supply chain prior to December 31, 2018, began to be applied and transferred throughout the entire supply chain, which in our case results in charging value-added tax on the sales price of our finished goods (applicable to our Colombian subsidiary located in the free trade zone). For companies located in free trade zones, the value-added tax is charged on the cost of imported raw materials of national and foreign origin, which we are able to credit against the value-added tax on the sales price of our products. The municipality sales tax is 50.0% deductible against payable income tax in 2019 and will be 100.0% deductible in 2020. Finally, the value-added tax paid on acquired fixed assets will be credited against income tax or the minimum assumed income tax. Additionally, this tax reform increased the tax rate on dividends paid to foreign individuals and non-resident entities from 5.0% to 7.5%. The tax reform also imposed a tax rate of 7.5% on dividends paid to Colombian companies. This tax is charged only on the first distribution of dividends from one Colombian corporate entity to another, and a credit resulting from the tax withholding is carried forward until a Colombian company makes a distribution to a shareholder that is an individual residing in Colombia or a non-resident individual or entity.

In October 2019, the Colombian courts declared the tax reform that became effective on January 1, 2019 unconstitutional. On December 27, 2019, the Colombian government enacted a new tax reform, which became effective on January 1, 2020. In general, the reform maintained the provisions introduced on the previous tax reform and included some additional changes, as follows: (i) the minimum assumed income tax rate (renta presuntiva sobre el patrimonio) was reduced from 1.5% to 0.5% for 2020 and reduced to 0.0% for the year 2021 and beyond; (ii) the tax rate on dividends paid to Colombian resident individuals was reduced from 15.0% to 10.0%; (iii) the tax rate on dividends paid to foreign individuals and non-resident entities was increased from 7.5% to 10.0%; (iv) the possibility to deduct 100.0% of the municipality sales tax against payable income tax was postponed to 2022; and (v) taxpayers were granted more flexibility to credit or recover the value-added tax of imported goods from free trade zones.

On July 1, 2019, a tax reform became effective in Costa Rica. This reform allowed tax credits on sales taxes to be recorded on goods, administrative services and general expenses. The value-added tax rate of 13.0% on services provided within Costa Rica now applies to both domestic and foreign service providers. Capital gains taxes are now imposed at a rate of 15.0% on sales of assets located in Costa Rica. New income tax withholding rates are now imposed on salaries and other employee benefits at the rates of 25.0% and 20.0%, depending on the salary bracket. Finally, a new thin capitalization rule provides that interest expenses paid to entities other than members of the Costa Rican financial system that exceed 20.0% of a company’s EBITDA are not deductible for income tax purposes.

Until November 17, 2019, Panama imposed an excise tax of 5.0% on carbonated beverages and imported non-carbonated beverages and a 10.0% selective consumption tax on syrups, powders and concentrate used to produce sugary drinks. On November 18, 2019, Panama replaced such excise tax with an excise tax of 7.0% on carbonated beverages with more than 7.5 grams of sugar or any caloric sweetener per 100 ml, and a 10.0% tax on syrups, powders and concentrate used to produce sugary drinks. As of January 1, 2020, Panama imposes an excise tax of 5.0% on non-carbonated beverages with more than 7.5 grams of sugar or any caloric sweetener per 100 ml, whether imported or produced locally. Beverages derived from dairy products, grains or cereals, nectars, fruit juices and vegetables with natural fruit concentrates are exempt from this tax. On March 1, 2019, a tax reform became effective in Nicaragua, increasing the excise tax for all beverages (except for water) from 9.0% to 11.0%; to 13.0% on January 1, 2020; and to 15.0% starting on January 1, 2021. Besides, starting on March 1, 2019, the minimum alternative income tax increased from 1.0% to 3.0%.

Water Supply

As a beverage bottler, efficient water management is essential to our business and our communities. As a result, we are committed to improve our overall water use ratio to 1.5 liters of water per liter of beverage produced by 2020. In 2019, we used 1.52 liters of water per liter of beverage produced. In addition, our goal is to reduce our water consumption and to return to the environment and our communities the same amount of water used to produce our beverages by 2020. All our bottling plants have their own or have contracted services for waste water treatment to ensure the quality of the waste water discharge.

In Mexico, we obtain water directly from wells pursuant to concessions obtained from the Mexican government for each bottling plant. Water use in Mexico is regulated primarily by the 1992 Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nacionales de 1992), as amended, and regulations issued thereunder, which created the National Water Commission (Comisión Nacional del Agua). The National Water Commission is in charge of overseeing the national system of water use. Under the 1992 Water Law, concessions for the use of a specific volume of ground or surface water generally run from five to fifty-year terms, depending on the supply of groundwater in each region as projected by the National Water Commission. Concessionaires may request concession terms be extended before the expiration of the same. The Mexican government may reduce the volume of ground or surface water granted for use by a concession by whatever volume of water that is not used by the concessionaire for two consecutive years, unless the concessionaire proves that the volume of water not used is because the concessionaire is saving water by an efficient use of it. Our concessions may be terminated if, among other things, we use more water than permitted or we fail to pay required concession-related fees and do not cure such situations in a timely manner. Although we have not undertaken independent studies to confirm the sufficiency of the existing groundwater supply, we believe that our existing concessions satisfy our current water requirements in Mexico.

In addition, the 1992 Water Law provides that plants located in Mexico must pay a fee either to the local governments for the discharge of residual waste water to drainage or to the federal government for the discharge of residual waste water into rivers, oceans or lakes. Pursuant to this law, certain local and federal authorities test the quality of the waste water discharge and charge plants an additional fee for measurements that exceed certain standards published by the National Water Commission. In the case of non-compliance with the law, penalties, including closures, may be imposed. All of our bottling plants located in Mexico meet these standards. See “—Description of Property, Plant and Equipment.”

In Brazil, we obtain water and mineral water from wells pursuant to concessions granted by the Brazilian government for each bottling plant. According to the Brazilian Constitution and the National Water Resources Policy, water is considered an asset of common use and can only be exploited for the national interest by Brazilians or companies formed under Brazilian law. Concessionaires and users can be held responsible for any damage to the environment. The exploitation and use of mineral water is regulated by the Code of Mining, Decree Law No. 227/67 (Código de Mineração), the Mineral Water Code, Decree Law No. 7841/1945 (Código de Águas Minerais), the National Water Resources Policy, Decree No. 24.643/1934 and Law No. 9433/97 and by regulations issued thereunder. The companies that exploit water are supervised by the National Mining Agency (Agência Nacional de Mineração —ANM) and the National Water Agency (Agência Nacional de Águas) in connection with federal health agencies, as well as state and municipal authorities. In the Jundiai, Marilia, Curitiba, Maringa, Porto Alegre, Antonio Carlos and Itabirito bottling plants, we do not exploit spring water.

In Colombia, in addition to natural spring water for Manantial, we obtain water directly from wells and from utility companies. We are required to have a specific concession to exploit water from natural sources. Water use in Colombia is regulated by Decree No. 1076 of 2015. In addition, Decree No. 303 of 2012 requires us to apply for water concessions and for authorization to discharge our water into public waterways. The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and Regional Autonomous Corporations supervises companies that use water as a raw material for their businesses. Furthermore, in Colombia, Law No. 142 of 1994 provides that public sewer services are charged based on volume (usage). The Water and Sewerage Company of the City of Bogota has interpreted this rule to be the volume of water captured, and not the volume of water discharged by users.

In Argentina, a state water company provides water to our Alcorta bottling plant on a limited basis; however, we believe the authorized amount meets our requirements for this bottling plant. In our Monte Grande bottling plant in Argentina, we pump water from wells, in accordance with Law No. 25.688.

In Uruguay, we acquire water from the local water system, which is managed by the Organism of Sanitary Works (Obras Sanitarias del Estado). Additionally, we are required by the Uruguayan federal government to discharge all of our water excess to the sanitation system for recollection.

In Nicaragua, the use of water is regulated by the National Water Law (Ley General de Aguas Nacionales), and we obtain water directly from wells. In November 2017, we obtained a permit to increase our monthly amount of water used for production in Nicaragua and renewed our concession for the exploitation of wells for five more years, extending the expiration date to 2022. In Costa Rica, the use of water is regulated by the Water Law (Ley de Aguas). In both of these countries, we exploit water from wells granted to us through governmental concessions. In Guatemala, no license or permits are required to exploit water from the private wells in our own bottling plants. In Panama, we acquire water from a state water company, and the use of water is regulated by the Panama Use of Water Regulation (Reglamento de Uso de Aguas de Panamá).

In addition, we obtain water for the production of some of our natural spring water products, such as Manantial in Colombia and Crystal in Brazil, from spring water pursuant to concessions granted. See “—Regulation—Water Supply.”

Environmental Matters

We have internal environmental policies and procedures that intend to identify, address and minimize environmental risks, as well as to implement appropriate strategies for the use of clean and renewable energy, efficient use of water and waste management throughout the value chain of all of our operations. We have programs that seek to reduce energy consumption and diversify our portfolio of clean and renewable energy sources in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the fight against climate change. In addition, we establish short-, medium-, and long-term goals and indicators for the use, management and confinement of energy, air emissions, water discharges, solid waste and disposal of hazardous materials.

During 2019, 70.7% of our total energy requirements were obtained from clean energy sources. Additionally, as part of our waste management strategies, in 2019, 23.7% of our PET resin packaging was comprised of recycled materials and we recycled 95.7% of the total waste generated.

In all of our territories, our operations are subject to federal and state laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. In Mexico, the principal legislation is the Federal General Law for Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (Ley General de Equilibrio Ecológico y Protección al Ambiente, or the Mexican Environmental Law), and the General Law for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste (Ley General para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos) which are enforced by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, or SEMARNAT). SEMARNAT can bring administrative and criminal proceedings against companies that violate environmental laws, and it also has the power to close non-complying facilities. Under the Mexican Environmental Law, rules have been promulgated concerning water, air and noise pollution and hazardous substances. In particular, Mexican environmental laws and regulations require that we file periodic reports with respect to hazardous wastes and set forth standards for waste water discharge that apply to our operations. We have implemented several programs designed to facilitate compliance with air, waste, noise and energy standards established by current Mexican federal and state environmental laws, including a program that installs catalytic converters and liquid petroleum gas in delivery trucks for our operations in Mexico City. See “—The Company—Product Sales and Distribution.”

In March 2015, the General Law of Climate Change (Ley General de Cambio Climático), its regulation and certain decrees related to such law became effective, imposing upon different industries (including the food and beverage industry) the obligation to report direct or indirect gas emissions exceeding 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Currently, we are not required to report these emissions, since we do not exceed this threshold. We cannot assure you that we will not be required to comply with this reporting requirement in the future.

In our Mexican operations, we established a partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Alpla, our supplier of plastic bottles in Mexico, to create Industria Mexicana de Reciclaje (IMER), a PET recycling facility located in Toluca, Mexico. In 2019, this facility recycled 11,909 tons of PET resin. We have also continued contributing funds to ECOCE, A.C., a nationwide collector of containers and packaging materials. In 2019, ECOCE collected 56.0% of the total PET resin waste in Mexico.

All of our bottling plants located in Mexico have received a Certificate of Clean Industry (Certificado de Industria Limpia).

Our Central American operations are subject to several federal and state laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment and the disposal of hazardous and toxic materials, as well as water usage. Our Costa Rican operations have participated in a joint effort along with the local division of The Coca-Cola Company, Misión Planeta, for the collection and recycling of non-returnable plastic bottles. In Guatemala, we joined the Foundation for Water (Fundación para el Agua), through which we have direct participation in several projects related to the sustainable use of water. Our bottling plants in Central America are certified for ISO 14001.

Our Colombian operations are subject to several Colombian federal and state laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment and the disposal of treated water and hazardous materials. These laws include the control of atmospheric emissions, noise emissions, disposal of treated water and strict limitations on the use of chlorofluorocarbons. In addition, on February 6, 2012, Colombia promulgated Decree No. 303, which requires us to apply for an authorization to discharge our water into authorized waterways. We are engaged in nationwide reforestation programs and campaigns for the collection and recycling of glass and plastic bottles, among other programs with positive environmental impacts. We have also obtained and maintained the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, FSSC 22000 and PAS 220 certifications for our bottling plants located in Medellin, Cali, Bogota, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and La Calera, as recognition for the highest quality and food harmlessness in our production processes, which is evidence of our strict level of compliance with relevant Colombian regulations. Our bottling plant located in Tocancipa obtained the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED 2009) certification in April 2017, as well as the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, FSSC 22000 and PAS 220 certifications.

Our Brazilian operations are subject to several federal, state and municipal laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment. Among the most relevant laws and regulations are those dealing with the emission of toxic and hazardous gases and disposal of wastewater and solid waste, soil contamination by hazardous chemicals, which impose penalties, such as fines, facility closures and criminal charges depending upon the level of non-compliance.

Our bottling plant located in Jundiai has been recognized by the Brazilian authorities for its compliance with environmental regulations and for having standards well above those imposed by applicable law. This bottling plant has been certified for GAO-Q and GAO-E. In 2017, the Itabirito bottling plant was certified for ISO 9001 and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which is a globally recognized certification of sustainability achievement. In addition, the bottling plants of Jundiai, Mogi das Cruzes, Campo Grande, Marilia, Maringa, Curitiba and Bauru have been certified for (i) ISO 9001; (ii) ISO 14001 and; (iii) norm OHSAS 18001. The Jundiai, Campo Grande, Bauru, Marilia, Curitiba, Maringa, Porto Alegre, Antonio Carlos and Mogi das Cruzes bottling plants are certified in standard FSSC 22000. Mogi das Cruzes bottling plant has also obtained the ISO 50001 (Energy Management System) certification.

In May 2008, a municipal regulation of the City of São Paulo, implemented pursuant to Law 13.316/2002, came into effect requiring us to collect for recycling a specified annual percentage of plastic bottles made from PET resin sold in the City of São Paulo. Since May 2011, we are required to collect 90.0% of PET resin bottles sold. Currently, we are not able to collect the entire required volume of PET resin bottles we sell in the City of São Paulo. Since we do not meet the requirements of this regulation, which we believe to be more onerous than those imposed by the countries with the highest recycling standards, we could be fined and be subject to other sanctions, such as the suspension of operations in any of our bottling plants and/or distribution centers located in the City of São Paulo. In May 2008, when this law came into effect, we and other bottlers in the City of São Paulo, through the Brazilian Soft Drink and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association, or ABIR (Associação Brasileira das Indústrias de Refrigerantes e de Bebidas Não-alcoólicas), filed a motion requesting a court to overturn this regulation due to the impossibility of compliance. In November 2009, in response to a request by a municipal authority to provide evidence of the destination of the PET resin bottles sold in São Paulo, we filed a motion presenting all of our recycling programs and requesting a more reasonable timeline to comply with the requirements imposed. In October 2010, the municipal authority of São Paulo levied a fine on our Brazilian operating subsidiary of 250,000 Brazilian reais (Ps.1.2 million as of December 31, 2019) on the grounds that the report submitted by our Brazilian operating subsidiary did not comply with the 75.0% proper disposal requirement for the period from May 2008 to May 2010. We filed, through an administrative procedure, an appeal against this fine, which was denied by the municipal authority in May 2013. This resolution by the municipal authority is final and not subject to appeal. However, in July 2012, the State Appellate Court of São Paulo rendered a decision on an interlocutory appeal filed on behalf of ABIR staying the requirement to pay the fines and other sanctions imposed on ABIR’s associated companies, including our Brazilian subsidiary, pending the final resolution of the appeal. We are still awaiting the final resolution of the appeal filed on behalf of ABIR. In November 2016, the municipal authority filed a tax enforcement claim against our Brazilian subsidiary in order to try to collect the fine imposed in October 2010. In February 2017, we filed a motion for a stay of execution against the collection of the fine based on the decision rendered by the State Appellate Court of São Paulo in July 2012. We cannot assure you that these measures will have the desired effect or that we will prevail in any judicial challenge that our Brazilian subsidiary may pursue.

In August 2010, Law No. 12.305/2010 was enacted, establishing the Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy to regulate the recycling and correct management of solid waste, which policy is regulated by Federal Decree No. 7.404/2010. The Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy is based on the principle of shared responsibility between the government, companies and consumers; it provides for the post-consumption return of products and requires public authorities to implement waste management programs. In order to comply with the Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy, in December 2012, an agreement proposal was created by almost 30 associations involved in the packaging sector, including ABIR in its capacity as representative for The Coca-Cola Company, our Brazilian subsidiary and other bottlers, and was provided to the Ministry of the Environment. The agreement proposed the creation of a “coalition” to implement systems for packaging waste reverse logistics. The proposal described strategies for sustainable development and the improvement of the management of solid waste to increase recycling rates and decrease incorrect disposal. The Ministry of Environment approved and signed this agreement in November 2015. Notwithstanding the signing of this agreement, in August 2016, the public prosecutor’s office of the state of São Paulo filed a class action against the parties that signed the agreement, challenging the validity of certain terms of the agreement and the effectiveness of the mandatory measures to be taken by the companies of the packaging sector to comply with the Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy. In addition, the public prosecutor’s office of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul filed several class actions against the parties that signed the agreement, requiring the payment of certain dues in exchange for the state’s provision of selective waste management services. Due to the large number of class actions involving the same parties, same cause of action and same pleas, a motion for resolution of repetitive claims was filed with the purpose of suspending all the class actions until the motion is resolved, and the competent court is appointed. ABIR and other associations are leading the defense.

Our Argentine operations are subject to federal and municipal laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. The most significant of these are regulations concerning waste management, which is regulated by federal Law 24.051 and Law 9111/78, and waste water discharge. Such regulations are enforced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable) and the Provincial Organization for Sustainable Development (Organismo Provincial para el Desarrollo Sostenible) for the province of Buenos Aires. Our Alcorta bottling plant is in compliance with environmental standards and we have been, and continue to be, certified for ISO 14001:2004 for the bottling plants and operative units in Buenos Aires.

In Uruguay, we are subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including regulations concerning waste management and waste water discharge and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials, among others. We own a water treatment plant to reuse water in certain processes. We have established a program for recycling solid wastes and are currently certified for ISO 14001:2015 for our bottling plant in Montevideo and for our distribution center in Paysandú.

We have spent, and may be required to spend in the future, funds for compliance with and remediation under local environmental laws and regulations. Currently, we do not believe that such costs will have a material adverse effect on our results or financial condition. However, since environmental laws and regulations and their enforcement are becoming increasingly stringent in our territories, and there is increased recognition by local authorities of the need for higher environmental standards in the countries where we operate, changes in current regulations may result in an increase in costs, which may have an adverse effect on our future results or financial condition. We are not aware of any significant pending regulatory changes that would require a significant amount of additional remedial capital expenditures.

We do not believe that our business activities pose a material risk to the environment, and we believe that we are in material compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Other Regulations

In June 2014, the Brazilian government enacted Law No. 12,997 (Law of Motorcycle Drivers), which requires employers to pay a premium of 30.0% of the base salary to all employees that are required to drive a motorcycle to perform their job duties. This premium became enforceable in October 2014, when the related rules and regulations were issued by the Ministry of Labor and Employment. We believe that these rules and regulations (Decree No. 1.565/2014) were unduly issued because such Ministry did not comply with all the requirements of applicable law (Decree No. 1.127/2003). In November 2014, our Brazilian subsidiary, in conjunction with other bottlers of the Coca-Cola system in Brazil and through the ABIR, filed a claim before the Federal Court to stay the effects of such decree. ABIR’s associated companies, including our Brazilian subsidiary, were granted a preliminary injunction staying the effects of the decree and exempting us from paying the premium. The Ministry of Labor and Employment filed an interlocutory appeal against the preliminary injunction in order to restore the effects of Decree No. 1.565/2014. This interlocutory appeal was denied. In October 2016, a decision was rendered by the Federal Court declaring Decree No. 1.565/2014 to be null and void and requesting the Ministry of Labor and Employment to revise and reissue its regulations under Law No. 12,997. The Ministry of Labor and Employment, with the participation of all interested parties, is in the process of revising Decree No. 1.565/2014. Such revision has not concluded, therefore we cannot assure you that any changes made to Decree No. 1.565/2014 will not have an adverse effect on our business; however, we are currently not responsible for paying such 30.0% premium.

In July 2017, the Brazilian government issued Law No. 13,467 (Labor Reform Law), which resulted in significant changes to labor regulations. This law extends the workday from 8 hours to 12 hours, provided that there is a 36-hour break afterwards. With regard to negotiations with any labor union, Law No. 13,467 provides that certain rights, such as constitutional rights and women’s rights, cannot be part of the negotiations, as the Constitution and existing law prevails over any collective bargaining agreement. In addition, Law No. 13,467 allows companies to outsource any activity, including the company’s principal activity and activities that a company’s own employees are carrying out. Furthermore, the law provides that a claimant seeking to enforce his or her rights under this law will have to pay all costs and expenses related to the lawsuit and limits any compensation for moral damages to certain thresholds. We are currently in compliance with these labor regulations.

In November 2017, the Panamanian government enacted Law No. 75, which regulates the sale of food and beverages in public and private schools (from elementary school through high school). Law No. 75 prohibits the sale in schools of all sparkling beverages and certain still beverages with high amounts of sugar or calories. In addition, the Ministry of Education issued a decree with certain products that they recommend should be sold in schools; the products mentioned do not include sparkling beverages, teas and still beverages with high amounts of sugar. We cannot assure you that these restrictions or any further restrictions will not have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

In December 2017, the Argentine government enacted Law No. 27,401 (Corporate Criminal Liability Law), which introduced a criminal liability regime for corporate entities who engage in corruption and bribery with governmental agencies. The main purpose of this law is to make corporate entities liable for corruption and bribery carried out directly or indirectly by such corporate entity, either through its direct participation, on its behalf or to its benefit. Although we believe we are in compliance with this law, if we were found liable for any of these practices, this law could have an adverse effect on our business.

In August 2018, the Uruguayan government enacted Decree No. 272/018, which imposes an obligation to label certain food and beverage products that contain sodium, sugar, fats or saturated fats with health warnings. We began complying with these requirements on February 29, 2020, as dictated by the Decree.

In August 2018, the Brazilian government enacted Law No. 13,709/2018 (Personal Data Protection Law), which imposes control measures and other rights and obligations with respect to the processing of personal data by natural persons and legal entities, including by digital means. This law aims to create higher levels of certainty and transparency for data owners, containing obligations to display evidence of compliance and strict penalties for perpetrators who cause damage as a result of their violation of the law. Although this law is already enacted, we are not required to comply with it until August 2020.

In June 2019, the government of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico amended the Law for the Prevention and Management of Solid Waste (Ley para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos Sólidos) to prohibit the use, sale and distribution of single-use PET bottles for water and all other beverages in the state of Oaxaca. As a result of this amendment, on July 30, 2019, two of our Mexican subsidiaries filed a legal recourse against the amended law that is still pending resolution.

In December 2019, the Costa Rican government enacted Law No. 233, which requires that companies who sell, distribute or produce plastic bottles made of single use plastics comply with at least one of the following obligations: (a) produce plastic bottles that contain a percentage of recycled resin (such percentage to be defined in a separate regulation not yet enacted), (b) implement a recycling or collection program of the plastic bottles sold by such company (such programs to be defined in a separate regulation not yet enacted), (c) participate in waste management programs appropriate to the relevant industry or product, (d) use or produce packaging or products that minimize the generation of solid waste, or (e) establish strategic partnerships with at least one municipality to improve its collection and waste management programs. Although this law is already enacted, we are not required to comply with it until December 2020.

In March 2020, the Mexican government amended the existing Official Mexican Standard (NOM-051), which regulates the labeling of prepackaged food and non-alcoholic beverages (“Products”), to introduce a new labeling system for Products sold in Mexico. The amended regulation sets forth that Products’ nutrition facts labels must include protein, sugar, added sugar, sodium, saturated fat and other fat contents per 100 grams or 100 milliliters. Nutrition facts labels must also include complementary nutritional information by means of octagonal seals, which shall apply to Products that exceed the NOM-051 parameters regarding recommended sugar, calorie, sodium, saturated fat and other fat contents, as well as warnings for any Products that contain caffeine or non-caloric sweeteners. Additionally, the amended regulation provides that any Product that contains non-caloric sweeteners, sugar, sodium, saturated fats and other fats shall not include any cartoon, animation, celebrity, athlete or any other feature that aims to promote or encourages the consumption of such Product by children. In accordance with the amended NOM-051, our entire portfolio (except for water) is required to comply with the new labeling guidelines by October 1, 2020. We are currently analyzing all the measures necessary to comply with the new NOM-051 within the required timeframe, including with regards to our containers and packaging suppliers’ capacity, among other technical difficulties. We cannot assure that these amendments will not have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations in Mexico.

In recent years, the Colombian government has enacted regulations addressing corporate policies for the prevention of money laundering and finance of terrorism, as well as cross-border anti-bribery programs. The regulations require the implementation of internal policies including know-your-counterparty procedures, anti-money laundering and finance of terrorism clauses in agreements and reporting of suspicious operations. The regulations also require companies’ anti-bribery programs to comply with basic requirements, such as performing due diligence in merger and acquisition transactions and including clauses regarding delivery of gifts, remuneration to contractors, political contributions, donations, whistleblowing channels and anti–corruption in agreements. The Colombian authorities conduct audits to ensure the effectiveness of these policies and compliance with relevant regulations, and may impose fines and penalties in the event these policies and regulations are not observed.

Bottler Agreements

Coca-Cola Bottler Agreements

Bottler agreements are the standard agreements that The Coca-Cola Company enters into with bottlers in each territory. Pursuant to our bottler agreements, we are authorized to manufacture, sell and distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages within specific geographic areas, and we are required to purchase concentrate for all Coca-Cola trademark beverages in all of our territories from affiliates of The Coca-Cola Company and sweeteners and other raw materials from companies authorized by The Coca-Cola Company.

These bottler agreements also provide that we will purchase our entire requirement of concentrate for Coca-Cola trademark beverages at prices, terms of payment and on other terms and conditions of supply as determined from time to time by The Coca-Cola Company at its sole discretion. Concentrate prices for Coca-Cola trademark beverages are determined as a percentage of the weighted average retail price in local currency, net of applicable taxes. Although the price multipliers used to calculate the cost of concentrate and the currency of payment, among other terms, are set by The Coca-Cola Company at its sole discretion, we set the price of products sold to customers at our discretion, subject to the applicability of price restraints imposed by authorities in certain territories. We have the exclusive right to distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages for sale in our territories in authorized containers of the nature approved by the bottler agreements and currently used by our company. These containers include various configurations of cans and returnable and non-returnable bottles made of glass, aluminum and plastic as well as fountain containers.

The bottler agreements include an acknowledgment by us that The Coca-Cola Company is the sole owner of the trademarks that identify the Coca-Cola trademark beverages and of the formulas with which The Coca-Cola Company’s concentrates are made. Subject to our exclusive right to distribute Coca-Cola trademark beverages in our territories, The Coca-Cola Company reserves the right to import and export Coca-Cola trademark beverages to and from each of our territories. Our bottler agreements do not contain restrictions on The Coca-Cola Company’s ability to set the price of concentrates and do not impose minimum marketing obligations on The Coca-Cola Company. The prices at which we purchase concentrate under the bottler agreements may vary materially from the prices we have historically paid. However, under our bylaws and the shareholders agreement among The Coca-Cola Company and certain of its subsidiaries and certain of FEMSA’s subsidiaries, an adverse action by The Coca-Cola Company under any of the bottler agreements may result in a suspension of certain voting rights of the directors appointed by The Coca-Cola Company. This provides us with limited protection against The Coca-Cola Company’s ability to raise concentrate prices to the extent that such increase is deemed detrimental to us pursuant to such shareholders agreement and our bylaws. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Major Shareholders—The Shareholders Agreement.”

The Coca-Cola Company has the ability, at its sole discretion, to reformulate any of the Coca-Cola trademark beverages and to discontinue any of the Coca-Cola trademark beverages, subject to certain limitations, so long as all Coca-Cola trademark beverages are not discontinued. The Coca-Cola Company may also introduce new beverages in our territories in which case we have a right of first refusal with respect to the manufacturing, packaging, distribution and sale of such new beverages subject to the same obligations as then exist with respect to the Coca-Cola trademark beverages under the bottler agreements. The bottler agreements prohibit us from producing, bottling or handling beverages other than Coca-Cola trademark beverages, or other products or packages that would imitate, infringe upon, or cause confusion with the products, trade dress, containers or trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company, except with the consent of The Coca-Cola Company. The bottler agreements also prohibit us from acquiring or holding an interest in a party that engages in such restricted activities. The bottler agreements impose restrictions concerning the use of certain trademarks, authorized containers, packaging and labeling of The Coca-Cola Company so as to conform to policies approved by The Coca-Cola Company. In particular, we are obligated to:

The Coca-Cola Company contributed a significant portion of our total marketing expenses in our territories during 2019 and has reiterated its intention to continue providing such support as part of our cooperation framework. Although we believe that The Coca-Cola Company will continue to provide funds for advertising and marketing, it is not obligated to do so. Consequently, future levels of advertising and marketing support provided by The Coca-Cola Company may vary materially from the levels historically provided. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Major Shareholders—The Shareholders Agreement” and “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Major Shareholders—Cooperation Framework with The Coca-Cola Company.”

We have separate bottler agreements with The Coca-Cola Company for each of the territories where we operate, on substantially the same terms and conditions. These bottler agreements are automatically renewable for ten-year terms, subject to the right of either party to give prior notice that it does not wish to renew a specific agreement.

As of the date of this report we had:

As of the date of this report, our investee KOF Venezuela had one bottler agreement, which is up for renewal in August 2026.

The bottler agreements are subject to termination by The Coca-Cola Company in the event of default by us. The default provisions include limitations on the change in ownership or control of our company and the assignment or transfer of the bottler agreements and are designed to preclude any person not acceptable to The Coca-Cola Company from obtaining an assignment of a bottler agreement or from acquiring our company independently of other rights set forth in the shareholders’ agreement. These provisions may prevent changes in our principal shareholders, including mergers or acquisitions involving sales or dispositions of our capital stock, which will involve an effective change of control, without the consent of The Coca-Cola Company. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Major Shareholders—The Shareholders Agreement.” 

We have also entered into tradename license agreements with The Coca-Cola Company pursuant to which we are authorized to use certain trademark names of The Coca-Cola Company with our corporate name. These agreements have a ten-year term and are automatically renewed for ten-year terms, but are terminated if we cease to manufacture, market, sell and distribute Coca-Cola trademark products pursuant to the bottler agreements or if the shareholders agreement is terminated. The Coca-Cola Company also has the right to terminate any license agreement if we use its trademark names in a manner not authorized by the bottler agreements.

Description of Property, Plant and Equipment

As of December 31, 2019, we owned 49 bottling plants. By country, as of such date, we had 17 bottling plants and 5 secondary facilities for a total of 22 in Mexico, 7 in Central America, 7 in Colombia, 10 in Brazil, 2 in Argentina, and 1 in Uruguay. In 2018, we changed the criteria to account for bottling plants in Mexico to include small capacity bottling facilities mainly for bulk water. In addition, our investee KOF Venezuela owned 4 bottling plants as of December 31, 2018.

As of December 31, 2019, we operated 268 distribution centers, approximately 53.0% of which were in our Mexican territories. As of such date, we owned more than 79.9% of these distribution centers and leased the remainder. See “—The Company—Product Sales and Distribution.”

We maintain an “all-risk” insurance policy covering our properties (owned and leased), machinery and equipment and inventories, as well as losses due to business interruptions. The policy covers damages caused by natural disaster, including hurricane, hail, earthquake and damages caused by human acts, including explosion, fire, vandalism and riot; we also maintain a freight transport insurance policy that covers damages to goods in transit. In addition, we maintain a liability insurance policy that covers product liability. We purchase our insurance coverage through an insurance broker. We believe that our coverage is consistent with the coverage maintained by similar companies.

Certain factors may affect utilization levels of our bottling plants, such as seasonality of demand for our products, supply chain planning due to different geographies and different packaging capacities of our production lines. In particular, seasonality and peak months of demand for our products may lead us to have excess capacity during certain months in certain countries.

The table below summarizes installed capacity, average annual utilization and utilization during peak month of our bottling plants by country:

The table below summarizes our main bottling plants in terms of installed capacity, including their location and facility area: