IHG Announces Strategic Alliance With The Coca-Cola Company

Agreement between Atlanta-based* consumer brands unifies beverage offering for IHG's U.S. hotels

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Apr 17, 2014, 01:00 ET

ATLANTA, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) (LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)), one of the world's leading hotel companies, and The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), the world's largest beverage company, today announced a new multi-year agreement to offer the refreshing Coca-Cola soft drink and juice brands⁺ that guests enjoy during their stays at IHG brands in the United States, representing more than 3,200 hotels. These two well-known companies, both with headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., have strong portfolios of favorite consumer brands that are instantly recognized and preferred around the world. This new agreement will provide a best-in-class, consistent beverage brand experience for our guests across all IHG hotel brands including: InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo^® hotels, Holiday Inn^® hotels, Holiday Inn Express^®hotels, Staybridge Suites^® hotels and Candlewood Suites^® hotels, as well as provided on-post at IHG Army Hotels properties. In addition, select Coca-Cola products will be available for sale at IHG's new wellness focused brand, EVEN™ Hotels.

"IHG and Coca-Cola coming together is a great example of how powerful brands can align to deliver enriched experiences for our customers and drive value for our businesses," said Kirk Kinsell, Americas President, IHG. "We are responsible corporate citizens of the dynamic Atlanta community and through our brands create employment opportunities for thousands of people across the U.S.; we have strong track records of brand innovation and leadership in our industries; and, most importantly, we share a commitment to creating a more sustainable environment and giving back to the communities where we operate."

There are about 2,000 franchisees and owners in the U.S., who partner with IHG to deliver our hotel brands. The new beverage agreement will allow IHG to drive even greater value and returns for our business partners, many of whom are small business owners, through operational efficiencies, cost-effectiveness and access to additional brand and marketing innovation resources. IHG and Coca-Cola both have ambitious plans to grow their brand portfolios. For IHG, this will be accomplished by making their hotel brands the preferred choice for guests and hotel owners. This new agreement represents a strategic step toward realizing the company's goal.

"Our companies have a history of joining forces. Now, we are strengthening our alliance to meet the beverage needs of our guests and further enhance their overall stay experiences at IHG hotels," said Christian Hempell, vice president, Commercial Development and Corporate Partnerships, IHG. "This agreement was developed through collaboration with a group of our hotel owners with deep F&B knowledge, as well as through guest insights. When our guests walk into an IHG hotel, just as they expect exceptional service and an outstanding branded experience, they can now expect a consistent, high-quality beverage experience whether sitting down at a Crowne Plaza hotel bar or grabbing a Coca-Cola soft drink from the Candlewood Cupboard™ at a Candlewood Suites hotel."

"This enhanced relationship shows the strength of two Atlanta-based companies coming together to create an experience that brings the enjoyment of Coca-Cola brands to IHG's guests at more than 3,200 hotels across the country," said Bruce McDonald, vice president, Strategic Partnership Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. "We look forward to leveraging our joint sustainability activities and marketing programs to inspire and refresh guests through unique, value-added programs."

The majority of the U.S. beverage rollout is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2014.

About IHG
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts. IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 77 million members worldwide. The program was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns 4,700 hotels and 687,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 17 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

* IHG Americas headquarters are based in Atlanta, Ga., with global headquarters in the United Kingdom

⁺ All IHG-brands in the U.S. will feature fountain and bottled/canned soft drinks (primarily Coke^®, Diet Coke^®, Sprite^®, Coke^® Zero). Certain IHG hotel brands in the U.S. also will carry Simply Orange^® juice.

SOURCE InterContinental Hotels Group