By George Anderson
Coca-Cola announced Tuesday that it was integrating its Minute Maid juice and North American soft drink division into a single business unit. The company expects the move to help it improve bottom line performance and make its stock more inviting to investors.
Don Knauss, president, Minute Maid has been charged with directing the merger. Steve Heyer, president and coo, Coca-Cola said in a memo released to the media, "Don has been successfully working with our bottlers this past year on innovative products and approaches to market and he brings a wealth of experience to this new role."
Moderator's Comment: What is your reaction to Coca-Cola's announcement?
John Sicher, editor of Beverage Digest, told Reuters this move will help Coca-Cola's "selling and go-to-market efforts, provide the potential for some streamlining and put Don Knauss, one of Coke's strongest executives, in a new position with a lot more responsibility". [George Anderson - Moderator]