Coke to Cut 1,000 Workers

NEW YORK The Coca-Cola Co. said it will layoff 1,000 employees in North America, half of them in the Atlanta headquarters, because it is consolidating the operations of some of its units in the region. The staff reduction will be effective by the end of the first quarter.

Operations such as IT, HR, sales, marketing, finance, legal, and administrative functions for Coca-Cola North America, Coca-Cola Fountain, The Minute Maid Company, Danone Waters and Odwalla are being brought together to “make our North American business simpler in process, sharper in strategic focus, and more competitive in the market,” Coke CEO Doug Daft said in a statement.