Meghalaya CM Sangma inaugurates northeast's largest bottling plant in Mendipathar

Time of India

5 days ago

Guwahati: In a significant step toward boosting Meghalaya's industrial growth, Meghalaya chief minister
Conrad K. Sangma
inaugurated the
Varun Beverages Limited Plant
, largest bottling plant in the North East, at the
Mendipathar Industrial Growth Centre
, North Garo Hills.
Built at Rs 340 crore, and set-up in a 37-acre area, this state-of-the-art facility underscores the state government's commitment to achieving a $10-billion economy by 2028.
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The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to
Varun Beverages Limited
for choosing Mendipathar for establishing the largest bottling plant in Northeast India. 'This project is a blessing for our state, as it will open up job opportunities and benefit the people of the region directly and indirectly," he said. "This is a symbol of the economic growth that Meghalaya is on track to achieve. Nobody would have ever imagined that the largest bottling plant would be right here in Mendipathar."
Sangma mentioned that the Mendipathar industrial area was conceptualized in the 1990s, but for over 30 years, no investments were received. 'In the last 30 years, no unit came up. There was hope and expectation, which never got fulfilled,' he said, expressing the concern of the late P.A. Sangma, who envisioned Mendipathar as a growth engine for Garo Hills.
Promptly completed in 11 months, the plant reflects the commitment of the Government to harness the PPP model and create an ecosystem in the State that welcomes investment like this. As the world's second-largest PepsiCo bottling company, it adheres to the highest standards of quality, sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
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The plant has a production capacity of 1,200 bottles per minute, manufacturing PepsiCo products such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sting, and Mirinda Orange, and others as well as fruit pulp-based beverages. These products will be supplied across Meghalaya, Assam, and North Bengal.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged the contribution of the Nokma (village chief) and the people of Mendipathar for donating the land for setting up the industrial area 30 years ago. The bottling plant will engage close to 500 staff members for production and distribution of different PepsiCo products, including fruit-based juices.
Sangma said that the plant will open up ancillary opportunities and lead to a boom in economic activities. He stated, 'The staff, including senior managers of the plant, will require accommodation facilities, which locals can set up. They will spend on their daily requirements in Mendipathar, which will slowly lead to the opening of different entities'.
Notably, another plant would be set up in the Tikrikilla Bajengdoba area, with 90% of the work already completed.
Varun Beverages' Executive Director & CEO Kamlesh Jain in his speech said that the plant will have an employment impact, carrying the potential to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs. This plant will transform livelihoods, especially for our youth. This industrial plant will set off a ripple effect, attracting more investment, expanding infrastructure, and stimulating support industries - from logistics to warehousing, food processing, packaging, and beyond. From automated bottling lines to aseptic packaging systems, this is one of the most advanced beverage plants in Northeast India, designed to deliver scale with efficiency and quality.
This plant opens the gateway to growth by promoting Investment and Private Sector Development, which is one of the first opportunity, out of the 10 opportunities under Mission 10, outlined by the Chief Minister.