She steps back in front of the camera to tell a story that does not end with the news report – the story of restoring one of the forest areas in Bulgaria most severely affected by last year’s wildfires
Media and presentation skills trainer Desi Stoyanova has joined “A Drop of Life for the Forest” – a joint initiative by Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria and Fantastico dedicated to restoring one of the forest areas in Bulgaria most severely affected by last year’s wildfires. In a special video created as part of the campaign, Desi returns to one of her most recognisable roles – that of a field reporter.
“During my years as a television news reporter, I covered many stories – some of them about disasters that changed the lives of countless people. In the news every disaster quickly becomes “the next tragedy” that we soon forget as another story takes its place. But the real stories only begin with the news,” says Desi Stoyanova.
The campaign shines a spotlight on an issue that dominates news coverage every summer but rarely remains in the public eye once the headlines fade. According to data from the Southwest State Enterprise (SWSE), more than 155 000 decares of Bulgarian forests were affected by wildfires last year alone.
“If you imagine it as a forest strip just 50 metres wide, it would stretch for more than 3100 kilometres. Walking that distance would take at least two and a half months – even if you walked eight hours every single day,” Desi Stoyanova adds in the video.
It is the story of Bulgaria's wildfires and their long-term consequences that lies at the center of the “A Drop of Life for the Forest” campaign. From 16 July to 16 October 2026, for every Bankya or Rosa water purchased in Fantastico supermarkets, Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria and Fantastico will donate €0.10 towards the restoration of 25 decares of fire-damaged forest near the village of Ilindentsi in Strumyani Municipality.
The video, created by dvrs, which developed both the concept and the production of the project, was filmed in the very area of the Western Pirin Mountains that the campaign aims to help restore. According to data from the SWSE, the 2025 wildfire near the village of Ilindentsi affected nearly 40 000 decares of forest. More than 17 500 of this area suffered crown fires – the most destructive type of wildfire, in which the flames spread through the tree canopies, destroying the forest completely.
Thanks to the initiative, nearly 12 000 saplings of native tree species will be planted, including Black Pine, Hungarian Oak, Sessile Oak, Downy Oak and various wild fruit tree species naturally adapted to the area’s specific climatic conditions[1]. The project also includes long-term care and maintenance of the newly planted forest, ensuring its successful restoration.
According to experts from the SWSE, nearly 90% of wildfires originate outside forest areas before spreading into them, with human negligence being the leading cause in most cases. That is why “A Drop of Life for the Forest” also aims to raise awareness of the importance of prevention and responsible behaviour towards nature. Because if people can be the cause of the problem, they can also be part of the solution.
The partnership between Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria and Fantastico is implemented in further cooperation with the Southwestern State Enterprise and the National Volunteer Association of the Republic of Bulgaria, both of which are actively involved in the planning, implementation and long-term maintenance of the restored forest areas.
About Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria
Coca-Cola HBC is a growth-focused consumer packaged goods business and strategic bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company. We open up moments that refresh us all by creating value for our stakeholders and supporting the socio-economic development of the communities in which we operate. With a vision to be the leading 24/7 beverage partner, we offer drinks for all occasions around the clock and work together with our customers to serve 760 million consumers across a broad geographic footprint of 29 countries.
Our portfolio is one of the strongest, broadest and most flexible in the beverage industry, with consumer-leading brands across the sparkling, adult sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and premium spirits categories, with snacks as an additional offering. Our products include Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Kinley, Costa Coffee, Caffè Vergnano, Valser, FuzeTea, Powerade, Cappy, Monster Energy, Finlandia Vodka, The Macallan, Jack Daniel’s and Plazma.
We foster an open and inclusive work environment for our more than 33,500 employees and believe that a positive environmental impact is integral to our future growth. We are among the leaders of the global beverage industry across major sustainability benchmarks, including the Dow Jones Best-in Class Indices, CDP, MSCI ESG, FTSE ESG and ISS ESG.
Coca-Cola HBC is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: CCH) and on Euronext Athens (Euronext Athens: EEE).
For more information, please visit https://www.coca-colahellenic.com/.
About Fantastico Group
Fantastico Group is a Bulgarian family-owned company founded in 1991. Today, 48 supermarkets operate under the Fantastico brand and more than 3,700 professionals work in the company. Over its 35 years of existence, Fantastico has established itself as one of the leading companies in the retail sector and as a responsible investor and employer. Fantastico Group also owns SkyCity Mall, MegaXtreme Bowling, MyChoice Catering and the JoyStation club.
For more information, please visit www.fantastico.bg.
[1] Data is provided by Southwestern State Enterprise.
