ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola North America has tapped an executive from its operations in Brazil to help rejuvenate sagging sales of carbonated soft drinks in the United States and Canada, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hendrik Steckhan was appointed president and general manager of Coca-Cola North America's newly created Sparkling Beverages Business Unit. The unit was created during a recent reorganization of North American operations to better focus sales and marketing efforts on soft drinks, which include declining brands [image-nocss] such as Coca-Cola Classic and fast-growing brands such as Full Throttle energy drink.
Sales of carbonated soft drinks in the United States, Coke's most competitive market, have declined for the past two years, according to the newspaper. Annual growth rates began slowing considerably in 1999, when Coke began raising prices and bottled water became more available.
Steckhan most recently served as vice president of operations for Coke's Brazil division, one of the company's largest worldwide. He has been with Coke since 1997, working in various positions in Latin America.
Also Friday, Coca-Cola appointed Alison Lewis as senior vice president of bottler sales and marketing. She will work with bottlers who package and distribute Coke's products.
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