Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED Announces Closing of Transaction with The Coca-Cola Company in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, AL, November 24, 2014 – Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, headquartered in Birmingham, AL, announced today, it closed the transaction with The Coca-Cola Company expanding the company’s territory into the Tuscaloosa area. Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED began operating the new territory acquired in the transaction effective November 22, 2014. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

This transaction follows The Coca-Cola Company’s announcement last year, in which it signed Letters of Intent to grant new, expanded territories to five U.S. bottlers: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED Inc., Swire Coca-Cola USA, Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country and Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc.

“The Tuscaloosa Coca-Cola Family is extremely excited to become a part of Coca-Cola UNITED.  We look forward to our local management team providing excellent customer service that will be unmatched going forward,” said Jack Sherman, Sales Center Manager, Tuscaloosa Coca-Cola Bottling Company. “Coca-Cola UNITED has a heritage of strong community involvement and we are looking forward to continuing that tradition in the Tuscaloosa area.  In doing so, both Tuscaloosa and Coca-Cola will grow from each other’s success.”

“The City of Tuscaloosa looks forward to growing with Coca-Cola. Tuscaloosa and Coca-Cola share a lot of the same values of charity, respect and inclusion” said Walt Maddox, Mayor of the City of Tuscaloosa. “We appreciate their investment in our community.”

Coca-Cola UNITED, founded in 1902, is committed to its employees, consumers, customers and communities. Currently, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED has locations in seven southeastern states employing approximately 3,800 associates.

About Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, Inc.:

Founded in 1902, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, Inc. is the third largest Coca-Cola bottling company in the United States and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Coca-Cola UNITED currently operates in the following 27 locations: ALABAMA: Birmingham, Cullman, Dothan, Evergreen, Montgomery, Oxford, Scottsboro, Tuscaloosa, Carbon Hill (“West Alabama”); GEORGIA: Augusta, Brunswick, McRae, Milledgeville, Savannah, Statesboro, Waycross, West Point; FLORIDA: Pensacola, Valparaiso; LOUISIANA: Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles; MISSISSIPPI: Gulfport, Hattiesburg, McComb; SOUTH CAROLINA: Spartanburg; TENNESSEE: Chattanooga.

Coca-Cola UNITED is engaged principally in the production, marketing and distribution of Coca-Cola®, Coke Zero®, Diet Coke®, Sprite®, Dr Pepper®, Fanta®, Dasani®, Powerade®, Minute Maid®, vitaminwater® and other beverages under exclusive agreements from The Coca-Cola Company and other soft drink manufacturers.  For more information, visit www.cocacolaunited.com.