Source: Global Atlanta

Coca-Cola's investment into Mongolia has reportedly paid off, with an increase of 66 eight-ounce servings per capita in six years.

In 2002, before Mongolia gained much attention, Coke opened a local bottling plant. It was a bet expressing confidence in a country that was small but ascendant, exotic but bent on connecting with the world. Of course, it did not hurt that rival PepsiCo had yet to build a factory in Mongolia, but the choice to bottle domestically instead of import was about costs. The central factor is making Coke affordable to the average person.

When the Mongolian plant opened nearly a decade ago, Mongolia's yearly consumption was four eight-ounce servings per capita. As of 2008, that number had ballooned to nearly 70. Coke spent USD 22 million on a bigger plant east of Ulaanbaatar that opened on 24 August 2008.

But even as it grows more cosmopolitan, marketing strategies in Mongolia have to consider local tastes. Although young people have expressed resentment towards the characterization that Mongolia is a land of herders, rustic traditions and ideals still exist within society. However, those asked said marketing should focus on the country's modernization.

Coke's local bottling partner has had a front seat to Mongolia's development. MCS Group started as an energy consulting firm but has diversified into a variety of fields: cashmere, property, fashion, restaurants, and beverages—including vodka. The partnership has allowed many Mongolian workers to receive training at the Coca-Cola University in Shanghai.