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

BIRMINGHAM, 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 West Point, Georgia and the Evergreen, Dothan, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama areas.  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 magic ingredients of Coca-Cola UNITED’s success are great brands and great people, coupled with our locally focused operating model.  That model, executed by our local employees, focuses on excellent customer service and strong community engagement,” said Claude Nielsen, Chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED. “After meeting and becoming better acquainted with the employees in our newly acquired territories, I know they embrace our values and our operating strategy. Our expectations are high as we consider the opportunities ahead in the new Coca-Cola UNITED territories and communities in which we operate.”

“Together with Coca-Cola UNITED, we have always believed a strong franchise system to be the competitive advantage of the Coca-Cola business globally,” said Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America. “This announcement brings us one step closer to accelerating the transformation of our U.S. system in ways that will establish a clear path to accelerated profitable growth. The result will be further progress toward a more agile, modern, customer-focused franchise business partnership model unique to the United States.”

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.

Local Press Releases:

ALABAMA: Dothan, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa,

GEORGIA:  West Point