Coca-Cola China Undergoes Major Leadership Change, New General Manager Takes Office!

China Foods Limited, an important part of Coca-Cola's bottling business in China, recently announced a new appointment of the managing director. According to an announcement from the major shareholder of COFCO Coca-Cola, Qing Lijun resigned from the position of managing director for work reassignment but will continue to serve as chairman of the board. At the same time, Zhan Zhaizhong was appointed as executive director, managing director, chairman of the executive committee, and authorized representative of the company, effective January 6, 2025.

This personnel change marks the smooth transfer of an important position for Qing Lijun within the Coca-Cola bottling system. Qing Lijun was previously reassigned to the leadership team of COFCO Group while also serving as chairman of the board of Mengniu. Zhan Zhaizhong, as a senior member of the company, has held several key positions since joining China Foods in 2004 and participated in high-level market visits as a representative of COFCO Coca-Cola last year.

China Foods Limited operates 20 bottling plants, authorized to operate Coca-Cola series products covering 19 provincial-level administrative regions, serving about 50% of the population in mainland China. The company's product line includes 10 major categories and 25 brands such as soft drinks, juices, water, and dairy beverages. As of the first half of last year, the company had about 19,000 employees, serving over 2.5 million customers.
Zhan Zhaizhong, aged 53, has extensive operational and management experience, having overseen business in different regions. He graduated from Wuhan University of Engineering with a bachelor's degree in resource engineering. Before taking on his new role, Zhan Zhaizhong had frequently appeared in market activities as a representative of COFCO Coca-Cola. With 20 years of experience at COFCO Coca-Cola, he possesses profound sales management experience and has accumulated insights in digital transformation.
The resignation announcement for Qing Lijun indicated that he would no longer serve as the chairman of the executive committee or company authorized representative, while also transitioning from executive director to non-executive director, continuing as chairman of the board and chairman of the nomination committee. Qing Lijun shares the position of chairman of the board with Mengniu, and this change indicates a successful handover of his position as managing director of China Foods.

During his four years as managing director of China Foods, Qing Lijun led the company to achieve simultaneous growth in revenue and profits, setting new record highs. Particularly during the pandemic period, the company demonstrated strong resilience. Qing Lijun also spearheaded the company's digital transformation, especially in sales, driving the rapid development of digital innovation business.

China Foods Limited has increased the deployment of smart retail equipment in digital channels, achieving full coverage across 31 provinces and over 280 cities. The innovative business "COFCO Enjoyment Club" saw a year-on-year increase in revenue, with gross margins continuously improving, and TOC-end business achieving over double growth. The company's "Happy Club" platform has surpassed 53 million fans, laying a solid foundation for future consumer engagement and precise marketing.

Listed in Hong Kong, China Foods Limited closed at 2.48 HKD, up 1.64%, with a total market value of 6.937 billion HKD.