HISTORY OF COCA-COLA IN CHATTANOOGA• 1886: Coca-Cola born in Atlanta, Ga.• 1899: Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Company founded• 1902: Coca-Cola United formed in Birmingham by Chattanooga man• 1909: Number of Coca-Cola bottlers in the U.S.A. nears 400• 1920s: Chattanooga Coca-Cola purchased by Coca-Cola United• 1960s: Coca-Cola introduces new brands, including Sprite, Minute Maid, TaB and Fresca• 1970: Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Company moves to 4000 Amnicola Highway• 2013: Coca-Cola announces independent bottlers, like Coca-Cola United, to absorb distribution areas• 2014: Coca-Cola United (Chatt. Coca-Cola owner) set to increase distribution area by 45%
Darren HodgesCoca-Cola Bottling Company United’s $62 million expansion may be Chattanooga’s biggest project in more than three years, if it comes to the city.
And so far, so good.
The Birmingham, Ala.-based Coke bottler talks like it wants to build a 290,000-square-foot distribution and sales facility on the former Olan Mills plant Highway 153. The facility would create 43 new jobs, according to a news release.
And proposed legislation necessary to rezone two plats of land adjacent to the desired property on the bottler’s behalf sailed through a City Council economic committee board hearing on Tuesday.