Inside a leading beverage company's supply chain playbook for managing de-centralization at global scale

A leading global beverage company serves over 1.9 billion drinks each day in more than 200 countries. That scale alone makes it one of the most complex supply chains in the world.

But complexity isn’t the real story. The real story is how this company manages everything through a deeply decentralized model that balances local agility with global control. 

The company has built a supply chain network that is distributed on purpose but still strategically aligned. It works with hundreds of independent bottlers and has built cold chains in new markets.

Here’s how it works and what supply chain leaders can learn from it.

Decentralization at scale: the operating model

This beverage company doesn’t manufacture and distribute every bottle directly; instead, it uses a franchise-style model.

It focuses primarily on concentrate production, product strategy and research & development (R&D). Its 225 local bottling partners handle manufacturing, packaging and distribution in their regions.

This allows it to create a network that is:

• Fragmented, with regional variations in execution and infrastructure
• High-volume, moving millions of stock-keeping units (SKUs) across multiple climates
• Often disconnected, with gaps in data visibility across markets

Coordinating across this landscape requires more than oversight. It takes systems and processes built for orchestration.

How the company manages supply chain complexity

1. Demand planning that starts with local data

The beverage company combines centralized planning with hyper-local signals. Bottlers feed regional sales data into SAP Integrated Business Planning tools, supported by AI.

This approach captures demand shifts that are driven by:

• Religious holidays or cultural events
• Climate and weather patterns
• Regional packaging or product preferences

Bottlers then adjust production schedules and logistics based on those insights, keeping stock aligned with demand and minimizing waste.

2. Agility through empowered bottlers

Each bottling partner operates independently. That autonomy allows for:

• Faster response to local trends
• Custom packaging or sizing for specific markets
• Regional sourcing of inputs like sugar, water or bottles

To maintain consistency, the company runs regular capability assessments and training programs. Local partners have room to adapt, but standards remain clear.

3. Cold-chain optimization that balances quality and cost

In markets with high temperatures or limited storage infrastructure, the company invests heavily in cold-chain logistics.

It uses internet of things (IoT) sensors to track temperature from the plant to the store, and predictive analytics to help find cold-chain risks before they cause spoilage or service issues. In off-grid regions, solar-powered coolers help to maintain product quality while advancing sustainability goals, especially in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

4. Global control towers for end-to-end visibility

The company is building a connected digital network to bridge its decentralized structure. Control towers provide real-time visibility into production, inventory and transportation across geographies.

With the company’s Euro-pacific Partners, this visibility improved forecast accuracy and service levels during COVID-related disruptions, enabling faster and more informed decision-making when geopolitical or environmental risks arise.

5. Circular supply chain with reverse logistics

When it comes to sustainability, the company's “World Without Waste” initiative aims to collect and recycle one bottle for every one sold by 2030.

To do that, the company has:

• Cut down the weight of PET bottles
• Invested in recycled and plant-based packaging
• Built partnerships with local waste systems
• Launched take-back programs in over 40 countries

Reverse logistics still remains a challenge at scale, but the company is investing in closed-loop systems that treat packaging as a recoverable asset, not a sunk cost.