Coca-Cola Opens Modern Learning Lounge for Jakarta’s Youth

JAKARTA - Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company Muhtar Kent today confirmed Coca-Cola’s commitment to increase its social investment in Indonesia with the launch of Indonesia’s first metropolitan-based learning center, or ’Learning Lounge’ at Plaza Semanggi in Jakarta. Fasli Jalal, Vice Minister of Education Republic of Indonesia, Alfitra Salam, Deputy Field of Youth Leadership, Ministry of Youth and Sport Republic of Indonesia and Darwin A. Roni , Director of The Plaza Semanggi Mall attended today’s event alongside Kent and other Coca-Cola officials.

The new Learning Lounge was developed in partnership with Dewi Hughes International Foundation, which shares the same vision in promoting learning and reading habits to Indonesian youth. The Lounge is specially designed to provide a modern welcoming space for Jakarta’s youth to gather as a center for positive learning activities. It is equipped with books and IT facilities providing a variety of information which is relevant to young people, such as environment, healthy active living, skills building and inspirational materials.

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company said, “Coca-Cola believes that each of us can play a role in making a positive change to in the communities we serve. Today, I am proud to bring positive values to the Jakarta community by opening a facility designed to inspire Indonesian young people to achieve their potential and foster positive change in society.”

Since 2000, Coca-Cola, through the Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia, has been successfully developing the Learning Center program, which turns conventional public libraries into centers of active learning for local communities. To date, the Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia has developed 33 community learning centers across 14 provinces in Indonesia benefiting 5 million people annually.

Titie Sadarini, Chief Executive of Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia added, “We believe that youths have the potential to be agent of change. However, there are few infrastructures for them to maximize this potential. Continuing the success of Learning Center program, we are proud to expand the concept for urban youth community and provide them with facilities and inspiring programs that will support positive learning activities for them.”

The Learning Lounge facilities, located on Plaza Semanggi, 3 rd floor, are free to use by the public. The Lounge opens daily, during mall operational hours. In addition to providing information technology equipment, renovations, and reading materials, Coca-Cola has also committed to supporting staff training to ensure maximum benefit for end-users.

The Coca-Cola system has been operating in Indonesia for more than 80 years. From the business side, The Coca-Cola system directly employs 10,000 people and indirectly generates employment for approximately 100,000 Indonesians. From the community side, Coca-Cola is involved in a number of outstanding programs focused on education, community water sustainability, and micro enterprise development. During the past five years, the Coca-Cola system has invested more than USD $450 million in Indonesia, demonstrating its belief in Indonesia as a market of opportunity.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About Coca-Cola in Indonesia
Coca-Cola was first introduced to Indonesia in 1927, and was produced locally for the first time in 1932. Today Coca-Cola is produced in 10 bottling plants in Indonesia. Since the 1960s, the range of The Coca-Cola Company’s products has been introduced to the Indonesian market: Sprite in 1961, Fanta in 1973, Diet Coke in 1986 and, Frestea in 2002, Powerade Isotonik in 2006, Coca-Cola Zero in 2008, and Minute Maid in 2008. Coca-Cola also owns a local bottled water brand, AdeS.