On the coronary heart of communities are individuals and the organizations and companies that serve these individuals. Within the beverage market, the bottlers in these communities could be immediately serving the retailers and foodservice retailers, however in the end, they’re serving the customers that buy these merchandise.
With operations throughout 14 states and Washington, D.C., Coca-Cola Consolidated understands it takes working along with its communities, prospects and customers to achieve success within the aggressive client packaged items house.
“At Coca-Cola Consolidated, we attempt to satisfy our objective — to honor God in all we do, to serve others, to pursue excellence, and to develop profitably,” says Dan Holmes, senior vice chairman of commercialization and model advertising at Coca-Cola Consolidated. “On the core of our tradition is a concentrate on service. Our teammates have a ardour for serving one another together with our customers, our prospects and our communities.”
As the biggest Coca-Cola bottler in the US, Coca-Cola Consolidated makes, sells ,and distributes trademark drinks of The Coca-Cola Firm, Atlanta, in addition to its accomplice firms, for a portfolio totaling greater than 300 manufacturers and flavors, Holmes notes.
Serving roughly 60 million customers, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s operations are comprised of 11 manufacturing amenities, 60 distribution and gross sales facilities in addition to its Charlotte, N.C.-based company workplaces. It additionally owns Pink Basic Transportation, one the biggest transportation suppliers in the US, transferring freight and offering fleet upkeep for Coca-Cola Consolidated and a few of right now’s most acknowledged manufacturers, it shares.
The Coca-Cola bottler additionally is thought for its sustainability commitments. Coca-Cola Consolidated’s dedication to sustainability began with its long-standing accomplice Charlotte Motor Speedway figuring out alternatives for recycling diversion and to encourage patrons of the Coca-Cola 600 to recycle aluminum and plastic bottles. This led the corporate to broaden efforts throughout town and its territory.
Coca-Cola Consolidated works with prospects comparable to Clemson College, Spectrum Middle, Nissan Stadium, Geodis Park and most just lately Rupp Enviornment, to teach customers about recycling advantages, internet hosting assortment occasions and packages all through their territory and help in-venue closed loop techniques to recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
In response to Hurricane Helene this previous fall, Coca-Cola Consolidated Teammates participated in varied volunteer aid efforts, together with company-organized packing occasions in addition to having a devoted response crew of skilled volunteers providing help within the hardest hit areas.
This previous fall, Coca-Cola Consolidated and its teammates responded to the devastating affect brought on by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina and neighboring states by offering meals and water, hygiene kits and child necessities to assist with cleanup, together with monetary help.
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Moreover, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s devoted response crew of skilled volunteers assisted within the hardest hit areas by eradicating downed timber, clearing harmful particles, establishing meals pantries, and offering scorching meals for its impacted crew members, residents, and hungry volunteers.
Teammates throughout its 14-state territory additionally participated in varied volunteer aid efforts, together with eight company-organized packing occasions. These packing occasions resulted within the creation of practically 6,000 hygiene and care kits, which had been distributed by Convoy of Hope, a faith-based, humanitarian-relief nonprofit.
Coca-Cola Consolidated makes, sells and distributes trademark drinks of The Coca-Cola Firm in addition to its accomplice firms, for a portfolio totaling greater than 300 manufacturers and flavors.
The corporate additionally shared that greater than 200 Charlotte teammates packed 10,000 emergency meals bins for Second Harvest Meals Financial institution of Metrolina, whereas crew members in Boone, N.C., assisted Samaritan’s Purse with particles cleanup and extra for native residents.
The bottler’s dedication to its communities in addition to its continued success are among the many causes that Coca-Cola Consolidated has been named Beverage Trade’s 2025 Bottler of the 12 months.
Beverage efficiency
With such an unlimited portfolio, Coca-Cola Consolidated is delivering the various refreshment and hydration wants customers need.
“Just like the merchandise featured in most of the commercials of the drinks that we manufacture, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s core portfolio is comprised of glowing gentle drinks, a class which accounts for about two-thirds of whole portfolio income,” Holmes notes.
“Glowing gentle drink model market share is commonly rooted in a long time of name constructing and buy historical past,” Holmes continues. “When mixed with our powerhouse Coca-Cola merchandise, our regional manufacturers create a complete portfolio that provides much more profit to our buyer base.”
Past The Coca-Cola Firm trademark merchandise, Coca-Cola Consolidated additionally has distribution agreements throughout choose geographies inside its whole firm footprint with Keurig Dr. Pepper and the Ale 8 Ginger Ale portfolios, Holmes explains. “This enables for portfolio diversification,” he provides.
Outdoors of glowing gentle drinks, the bottler’s portfolio options merchandise in power drinks, sports activities drinks, varied water classes, ready-to-drink tea, juice, espresso, dairy and protein drinks. But, even with such a sturdy portfolio, Coca-Cola Consolidated might be increasing its choices to companions and customers much more.
“There are such a lot of progressive merchandise which have added worth to our enterprise,” Holmes says. “However to call only a few ― Coca-Cola Orange Cream (additionally in zero sugar) affords a barely totally different twist on the Coca-Cola trademark. We’ve only in the near past launched Topo Chico Mineral Water, which permits us to broaden our participation within the premium glowing water class. And our mates at Monster Vitality proceed to supply profitable innovation with their Monster Extremely portfolio with the latest launches of Monster Extremely Vice Guava and Monster Extremely Blue Hawaiian ― additionally in zero sugar.”
Holmes explains that within the yr to come back the corporate has excessive efficiency expectations for its glowing gentle drinks but additionally calls consideration that its portfolio technique is to offer its companions a various array of merchandise that enables the corporate to enchantment to a plethora of client demographics and selections.
Coca-Cola Consolidated’s manufacturing amenities, and distribution, and warehouse facilities are geared up with the instruments to maintain evolving to fulfill the wants of its customers and prospects.
“Nothing is extra iconic than a Coca-Cola glass bottle, so continued progress in glass stays a key precedence,” Holmes says. “Our mini portfolio, consisting of each mini cans and mini bottles, continues to resonate with consumers whereas increasing households, and we’ve seen an uptick in our price bundle portfolio in merchandise comparable to 1.25-liter bottles and six-pack glowing flavors.”
As an trade, greater than 60% of drinks are zero sugar and the Coca-Cola System has just lately invested in Topo Chico. From weight loss program, zero sugar and water choices, this enlargement has allowed Coca-Cola Consolidated to offer its prospects and customers with much more selections.
“Our zero-sugar portfolio is No. 1 within the trade, and we’ve continued progress expectations for each current merchandise and new introductions,” he says. “We additionally anticipate progress within the giant classes of power and sports activities drinks, and our protein merchandise proceed to speed up at a quick fee.”
Coca-Cola Consolidated additionally acknowledges that right now’s beverage manufacturing and distribution continues to evolve, and it stays dedicated to crafting the packages and methods that serve its companions and their particular wants.
“We work arduous to develop channel-specific industrial methods that meet our prospects’ wants,” Holmes says. “We concentrate on offering merchandise that flip buyer stock investments into revenue to run their companies.”
Positioned for fulfillment
To help its companions, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s manufacturing amenities, and distribution, and warehouse facilities are geared up with the instruments to maintain evolving to fulfill the wants of its customers and prospects.
For example, the bottler has adopted warehouse automation by way of using the Vertique system.
“The state-of-the-art Vertique system is a semi-automated answer that improves warehouse productiveness, effectivity, accuracy, and dealing situations,” Holmes says. “[It is] often known as the ‘distribution system of the longer term.’”
The corporate additionally has invested of their teammates by way of modernizing instruments to help their work. By techniques like Vertique, the corporate has modernized expertise to permit for teammates to be extra productive and environment friendly, the corporate says. They’ve additionally upskilled teammates to tackle new, higher-level roles, specializing in profession progress, it provides.
With a lot of the yr in retailer for 2025, Coca-Cola Consolidated has positioned itself to construct upon its service and success.
