Coca-Cola resumes bottling in frontier market of Myanmar after more than 6 decades

YANGON, Myanmar – Coca-Cola has begun bottling its famous soft drink in Myanmar as part of a planned five-year, $200 million investment after having no local production for more than 60 years.

The company announced in a press release the ceremonial inauguration of its bottling plant on Tuesday in Hmawbi Township, a suburb of Yangon, the country's biggest city, with local partner Pinya Manufacturing Co.

The return of Coca Cola is emblematic of the opportunities U.S. companies see in Myanmar as it builds a free market economy after decades of military rule. The economy was socialized after a 1962 military coup, and most investment by U.S. companies was banned after Washington applied economic sanctions against the junta that took power in 1988 due to its repressive policies.