Contact: Andy Britton, Coca-Cola UNITED
andybritton@ccbcu.com
334-652-9567

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2021

Coca-Cola UNITED Announces $48 Million Expansion of Mobile Facility

Birmingham, Alabama (March 18, 2021) – Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED) has announced plans to invest $48 million in its Mobile, Alabama campus to grow its business along the Gulf Coast.   The 119-year-old Alabama-based company will expand its existing warehouse, optimize its distribution operations, and install a state-of-the-art warehousing system that will benefit its associates, customers, and communities in the Mobile area and along the coast.

“With this larger and more innovative facility, we will create an enhanced working environment for our associates and provide a higher level of service for our customers and communities along the Gulf Coast for decades to come,” said Coca-Cola UNITED President and CEO John Sherman.

“This investment is another illustration of Coca-Cola UNITED’s long-term commitment to the Mobile community and the State of Alabama.  We appreciate the great support from our state and local officials,” said Keith Watson, Mobile Coca-Cola Sales Center Manager.

Coca-Cola UNITED will expand its existing warehouse by 120,000 square feet and install a state-of-the-art Vertique case picking system that is leading edge in the beverage industry.  The system turns the case picking process into a more organized and efficient operation and puts less stress on associates.

Once the project is complete, the company expects an increase in jobs at the Mobile facility, which will continue to serve as a hub to distribute products and services to customers and other Coca-Cola UNITED sales centers along the Gulf Coast.  Construction is scheduled to begin mid-2021 and should be complete by the end of 2022.

State and local officials, along with the Mobile Area Chamber, celebrated the news:

“It’s always special to see a company with deep Alabama roots reinvest in its operations in the state, creating new jobs and strengthen long-standing ties in their communities,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “I’m very happy that Coca-Cola Bottling United is launching a growth project in Mobile and know that the company will continue to thrive in Sweet Home Alabama.”

“We are excited about the significant investment Coca-Cola Bottling Company United is making in Mobile. This expansion is a strong signal of their commitment to our local economy, and I look forward to seeing their continued success here in Mobile,” said City of Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson.

“I am pleased to see Coca-Cola Bottling Company United make this substantial investment within Mobile County,” said District 3 Mobile County Commissioner Randall Dueitt. “For this well-established company to expand its new state-of-the-art technology in our local community, specifically the south end of the county shows, to us the consumer, a commitment to ensuring our area thrives and building lasting relationships.”

“Coca-Cola Bottling is a long-time member of our community and we are so happy they chose Mobile for this significant investment. We can’t wait to see what they do in the next 100 years,” said David Rodgers, the Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president of economic development.

The expansion is the latest chapter in a storied history between Coca-Cola UNITED and the city of Mobile. The territory, first owned by Coca-Cola UNITED founder Crawford Johnson Sr. of Birmingham, was purchased by brothers Walter and Will Bellingrath in 1903. More than a century later, in 2017, Coca-Cola UNITED, based in Birmingham, again acquired the Mobile territory as part of a transformation that saw the company more than triple in size. Today, the Mobile facility has more than 300 employees, produces more than 13 million cases annually and serves some 3,300 customers.

– Stand UNITED –

About Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, Inc.

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., founded in 1902 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is the second largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America and the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the U.S. Now with its fifth generation of family working in the business, Coca-Cola UNITED has approximately 10,000 associates located in more than 60 facilities across six southeastern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee). Historically significant franchises within our Coca-Cola UNITED family include Chattanooga, the world’s first Coca-Cola bottler; Atlanta, home of the worldwide Coca-Cola System; and Columbus, Georgia, development site of the original Coca-Cola formula.

Coca-Cola UNITED is engaged in the production, marketing, and distribution of a diverse portfolio of leading sparkling (Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero Sugar®, Dr Pepper®, Sprite®, AHA® and Fanta®) and still (smartwater®, Dasani®, POWERADE®, BODYARMOR®, Fairlife®, Gold Peak®, Monster® and Minute Maid®) non-alcoholic brands under exclusive franchise agreements principally with The Coca-Cola Company® and Keurig Dr Pepper®.

For 119 years, Coca-Cola UNITED has remained true to its foundational core values of Quality, Excellence, Integrity and Respect. Local relationships, personalized customer service, and strong community engagement have been the foundation of our business for more than a century. Each year, millions of dollars are invested in our local communities, supporting education, community development, sustainability and nonprofit organizations that empower and impact those in need.