Contact: Cassandra Mickens, Coca-Cola UNITED
CassandraMickens@ccbcu.com
(205) 612-6779
For Immediate Release
Coca-Cola UNITED Breaks Ground on $85M Expansion of Macon, Georgia Facility
MACON, Ga. (Feb. 17, 2023) – Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED) today broke ground on an $85 million expansion of its Macon, Georgia sales center. The project includes expanding the existing warehouse, installing a state-of-the-art warehousing system and optimizing distribution operations that will benefit associates, customers and communities in Macon-Bibb County and surrounding areas. The expansion is also expected to generate approximately 50 new jobs.
In remarks prior to the groundbreaking, Macon Coca-Cola Sales Center Manager Eddie Cummins thanked Macon-Bibb County officials for their support and continued partnership.
“We are proud to call Mayor [Lester] Miller, the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority and other local and state officials partners in our work to better serve our associates, customers and communities,” Cummins said. “This expansion will enable us to provide a higher level of service and is a tangible example of our commitment to Macon-Bibb and surrounding areas for years to come.”
Jack Sherman, director of Coca-Cola UNITED’s Savannah River Division that includes Macon Coca-Cola and eight other sales centers in Georgia, added the expansion is part of Coca-Cola UNITED’s strategic plan of investing in facilities across its six-state footprint.
“For 121 years, our business has been built on a strong foundation of family, service and community,” Sherman said. “We’ve experienced tremendous growth over the past few years, and this expansion shows our optimism for this market and the state of Georgia for the future.”
Coca-Cola UNITED will expand its Macon Coca-Cola warehouse located at 1780 Jennifer Drive by approximately 260,000 square feet, as well as install the leading-edge Vertique warehousing system that is among the most advanced in the beverage industry. When completed, the expansion is expected to create an enhanced and more efficient working environment for Macon Coca-Cola’s 228 associates.
“The impact Macon-Bibb County industries have on the state gives me a sense of pride,” said Robby Fountain, chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority. “Working with Coca-Cola UNITED to expand their roots in our community showcases our desire to have a business-friendly community that both new and existing industries can benefit from.”
Birmingham, Alabama-based Brasfield & Gorrie is the lead contractor for the project. Construction is slated to begin during the first quarter of 2023.
“We’re honored that Coca-Cola Bottling Company United is leaning on our decades of industrial construction experience to expand this warehouse,” said Brasfield & Gorrie Vice President and Division Manager Michael Tortorici. “With more than 450 industrial projects under our belts, we’re energized by complex projects.”
The expansion is the latest chapter of Coca-Cola’s 121-year history in Macon, where bottling operations began in 1902. Macon Coca-Cola joined the Coca-Cola UNITED family of local bottlers in 2017. The facility serves 18 counties and sells and distributes about 7.2 million cases of Coca-Cola products annually.
– 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 more than 10,000 associates located in more than 50 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®, vitaminwater®, 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 more than 120 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. Learn more at cocacolaunited.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
