Brazil greenlights production restart at Coca-Cola bottler plant

Brazil greenlights production restart at Coca-Cola bottler plant

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry has authorized the resumption of production at a Coca-Cola bottler's plant in the northeastern state of Ceara, following a brief suspension due to a safety scare involving a cooling system leak. The plant, operated by Solar, was temporarily halted earlier this week after authorities determined that a liquid used in cooling had come into contact with products being manufactured.

The leak in the production line's cooling system was corrected, and an inspection team approved the resumption of operations. However, the sale of about 9 million liters of drinks, which could have been compromised, remains on hold until results from a federal laboratory test come in. Preliminary results from Solar did not signal any contamination.

In a joint statement, Solar and Coca-Cola affirmed that at no moment was the safety of products affected. The production suspension will remain in effect until the necessary modifications are implemented and all risks in the production process are eliminated.

The Brazilian Agriculture Ministry expects laboratory analyses of the affected beverages to be concluded within five days, providing further clarity on the situation and paving the way for a potential restart of production.

The incident at the plant, located in Ceara State, led to the immediate cessation of production and bottling operations. According to Brazil's Agriculture Ministry, an on-site inspection confirmed the contamination. While the liquid in question contains food-grade alcohol and is not considered to pose a high health risk due to the absence of toxic substances, the precautionary halt was deemed necessary to ensure consumer safety.

The production suspension will remain in effect until Solar implements the necessary modifications and can conclusively demonstrate that all risks in its production process have been eliminated. The ministry indicated that a resumption of operations could potentially occur as early as Wednesday, pending satisfactory remediation.

Solar and Coca-Cola have expressed their commitment to rigorous testing to verify the complete safety of their products. They also noted that all other operations at the plant are functioning normally.

The incident highlights the importance of stringent safety measures in the beverage industry and underscores the need for prompt action in addressing potential contamination issues.

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/THE-COCA-COLA-COMPANY-4819/news/Brazil-greenlights-production-restart-at-Coca-Cola-bottler-plant-50182320/
[2] https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/3450486-brazilian-bottling-plant-clears-hurdle-production-resumes-after-safety-scare
[3] https://www.brandiconimage.com/2025/06/precautionary-halt-at-coca-cola-bottler.html