Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Accenture announce data-driven transformation JV

In a move to modernize its operations, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. has teamed up with global consultancy giant Accenture, unveiling plans for a joint venture set to commence in January 2024. This strategic alliance is in line with the ambitions of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group to evolve into a data-centric business model, streamlining administrative and back-office functions.

Through this collaboration, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group seeks to elevate its stature as a cost-efficient and profitable World-Class Bottler. This transformation will be catalyzed by leveraging Accenture’s vast expertise in localized business process management.

Diving into specifics, the new venture will bear the provisional name ‘BS & Business Service Preparatory Inc.’, and will be headquartered at 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Entrusted to lead the company as the Representative Director will be Bjorn Ivar Ulgenes. Core activities for the entity encompass a spectrum of outsourced services, including HR, finance, customer support, and procurement.

The company will also delve into the development and maintenance of IT hardware and software solutions, alongside offering staffing services.

On the financial front, the venture is tentatively capitalized at 20 million yen and aims to initiate operations on January 4th, 2024. The workforce is projected to comprise roughly 870 employees. When it comes to ownership, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan will dominate with an 81% stake, while Accenture secures a 19% share.

Accenture and Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan to form JV for data-driven transformation. Photo courtesy of JiriMatejicek/Wikimedia Commons.

A pivotal aspect of this partnership entails transferring roles, traditionally housed under Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan and its support service subsidiary, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Business Services. This encompasses roles within IT, HR, finance, and customer service. The newly formed entity promises a consolidated approach to back-end and administrative services.

Furthermore, it aims to endow Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group with state-of-the-art technological tools, enabling them to harness and decipher crucial business data. With these insights, the company anticipates enriched decision-making processes, the discovery of fresh business opportunities, and a drive to achieve unparalleled product and service quality.

Accenture’s involvement is no minor facet of this venture. The global consultancy firm is set to grant Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group access to an extensive talent pool, unparalleled industry insights, and premier automation tools. This strategic partnership is sculpted to position Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group at the vanguard of continuous corporate innovation through tailored solutions.

Reflecting on the implications of this alliance, Calin Dragan, the distinguished director and president at Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings, emphasized the paramount importance of delivering unwavering product and service excellence in an ever-fluctuating market. He fervently believes that this partnership with Accenture will be instrumental in fortifying their business foundation, cascading benefits to a diverse array of stakeholders.

Echoing this sentiment, Atsushi Egawa, the head honcho of Accenture’s operations in Japan, labeled this initiative as one of the most monumental enterprise overhauls facilitated by Accenture in Japan. Egawa envisions the venture not only spearheading Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group’s digital business transformation but also emerging as a blueprint. This model, he believes, showcases how strategic technological investments and skill refinement can pave the way to combat Japan’s persistent talent deficit challenges.