COCA-COLA’S CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY IN MYANMAR (BURMA)

Coca-Cola left Myanmar in 2003 when U.S. sanctions prohibited American companies from operating there.

After Myanmar began democratic reforms in 2012, Coca-Cola returned, opening a $200 million bottling plant in Yangon.

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WHY COCA-COLA LEFT MYANMAR

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Coca-Cola left Myanmar in response to U.S. economic sanctions against the country's military regime.

From 1962 to 2011, Myanmar's military junta committed widespread human rights abuses and suppressed political dissent.

The U.S. government banned American companies from operating in Myanmar to pressure the junta toward reform.

The exit made Myanmar one of three countries where Coca-Cola did not operate, alongside Cuba and North Korea.

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BACK TO BURMA

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In 2012, Coca-Cola reopened its first bottling plant in Myanmar at Crystal Springs, Hmawbi Township, ending a 60-year absence from the country.

The plant opening, attended by Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, marked Myanmar's shift from military isolation toward international trade.

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SANCTIONS AND REFORMS

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The Coca-Cola Company invested $200 million to build factories and distribution networks between 2012 and 2017.

Its early entry into the reopened market created jobs and sparked local business growth.

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TIES TO THE JADE INDUSTRY

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In 2015, Coca-Cola disclosed troubling connections to Myanmar's jade trade.

Their Myanmar partner, Pinya Beverages, shared a director with the Xie Family Company—a major jade dealer.

U.S. sanctions ban jade imports from Myanmar due to the industry's documented corruption and human rights violations.

This revelation exposed Coca-Cola's entanglement with a sanctioned, exploitative industry.

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EMPOWERING WOMEN, BUILDING ETHICS

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Coca-Cola launched concrete initiatives in Myanmar alongside its business operations.

The Swan-Yi program, run through the Coca-Cola Foundation and NGO Pact, trained 25,000 women in financial literacy and business management from 2012 onward.

This led to 10,000 women starting their own businesses.

The company also implemented workplace policies to address human rights, supplier conduct, and anti-bribery measures.