He added, however, "In the last couple of years, Coke has really listened well to its big bottlers."

Last month the company announced a $750 million, five-year assault in Mexico, including plans to buy interests in big bottlers, buy distribution routes and advertise heavily.

Venezuela used to be Pepsi country, but that changed abruptly when Coca-Cola made a deal with a big Venezuelan bottler.

In the last few years, Coke, which has equity interest in most of its biggest bottlers, has been pushing the biggest to buy out the smallest.

The big bottlers' drive for new business is being helped by the unusual protection that Coke, Pepsi and other national brands enjoy.

Without a doubt, the fates of Coca-Cola and its big bottler are inextricably linked.

It gave one of its big Turkish bottlers, the Ozgorkey Group, the eastern region around the Black Sea.

One of Pepsi's biggest bottlers also voiced concern.

Over the last five years, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coke's biggest bottler, has spent more than $1.8 billion on such equipment.

In 1998 alone, it spent $324 million on such support to its biggest bottler.