• The partnership demonstrates how post-consumer waste can be repurposed into public infrastructure with opportunities to explore further applications across the passenger experience

Lucknow, 21 August 2026: Building on the launch of India’s first branded train, the Sprite Tejas Express, Coca-Cola India and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) are bringing practical waste-to-value solutions into the passenger experience. The initiative extends the first-of-its-kind Sprite and IRCTC partnership, demonstrating how post-consumer waste can be repurposed into meaningful applications across prominent public settings.

In the presence of senior leadership from Indian Railways, IRCTC and Coca-Cola India, a key feature of the initiative was a specially designed flag for the Sprite Tejas Express launch ceremony, created using recycled PET bottles. The approach also translates into durable public infrastructure at Lucknow Station, where benches manufactured using recycled plastic waste have been installed, with each bench repurposing approximately 45 kg of post-consumer packaging waste.

Speaking on the initiative, Devyani RL Rana, Vice President – Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “In partnership with IRCTC, we are bringing practical waste-to-value solutions directly into public settings by transforming post-consumer waste into high-utility assets at prominent transit hubs. We are turning responsible waste management into a practical, scalable reality. We look forward to expanding such public-sector collaborations to support impactful, long-term solutions across India.”

Looking ahead, the Sprite Tejas Express also provides an opportunity to explore further applications of repurposed and recycled materials across the passenger experience, both – at the station and in the train.

This partnership reflects Coca-Cola India’s broader efforts to work with government and public-sector stakeholders on practical solutions that advance environmental responsibility across communities and public spaces.

About Coca-Cola:

Coca-Cola in India is one of the country’s leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company, in line with its vision of ‘Beverages For Life’ offers a wide portfolio of products which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy based products. In India its beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Thums Up XForce, Charged, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Kinley Soda, Rimzim, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices and Honest Tea. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca GlucoCharge, Smartwater, Kinley, Kinley Copper, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water. Premium products constitute Schweppes’ range and Smartwater. In addition, it offers a Costa Coffee range of tea and coffee. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of over six million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people’s lives, communities, and the planet through water and packaging initiatives, sustainable agriculture and emission reductions across its value chain.

Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.