By Ben Otto
JAKARTA--ThaiNamthip Ltd., Coca-Cola Co.'s (KO) bottling partner
in Thailand, said Thursday it is forming a joint venture with
Laos-based PT Construction Co. to bottle and distribute Coca-Cola
sparkling and still beverages in Laos.
The new venture, Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Co., will distribute
Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid, and Namthip drinking water,
ThaiNamthip said in a statement. It started distributing Coca-Cola
products supplied by ThaiNamthip's plants in Thailand on
Thursday.
The joint venture will have initial capital of US$40 million,
covering the first five years of operations.
ThaiNamthip will own 70% of the venture, with Construction Co.
holding the rest.
Lao Coca-Cola Bottling will also build a bottling plant in
Vientiane province that will start operations in 2014.
-write to Ben Otto at ben.otto@dowjones.com
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