Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Office of the President

President Karzai Inaugurates a Coca-Cola Plant in Kabul On September 10, President Karzai inaugurated the opening of a new Coca-Cola plant at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Kabul.

The ceremony was attended by high-ranking government officials, Celcuk Erden, President of Coca-Cola’s Southern Eurasia Division, and the Gulzar family, who invested $25 million to build the plant. The plant employs over 350 people and produces 15 million 24-bottle cases of the soft drink annually.

During the ceremony, the President praised Habibullah Gulzar and the Gulzar family saying, “This is another step forward for economic growth, self-sufficiency, and better living standards for Afghanistan.”

“I hope the new Coke plant will serve as a catalyst for further private investment,” he added.

The old Coca-Cola plant built in the sixties was destroyed during the civil war that engulfed Afghanistan in the 1990s.