Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft drinks company, yesterday said it saw more opportunities for acquisitions in the economic downturn, following its recent $44m investment in the UK's Innocent organic juice brand.

Gary Fayard, chief financial officer, said the company's board would discuss tomorrow whether to renew a share repurchase programme that was suspended ahead of Coke's unsuccessful $2.4bn bid for China's Huiyuan juice. But he said the company's primary focus would be on potential deals.