Coke United buys Scottsboro Coke bottling operation

photo Coca-Cola

The parent company of Chattanooga's Coca-Cola bottling company has bought the Scottsboro Coca-Cola Bottling Co., in Northeast Alabama and will merge the Scottsboro operation into the newly created Tennessee Valley division of Coca-Cola United.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co., United, the third biggest Coke bottler headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., announced today that it has closed its purchase of the Scottsboro Coke bottler from Coca-Cola Co., for an undisclosed amount.

"This is an incredibly important chapter in Scottsboro Coca-Cola Bottling Company's 102 year history," said Rodney Putman, sales center manager for Scottsboro Coca-Cola Bottling Co. "We are very fortunate to be part of ... a company that has a local operating model."

This means that we are responsible for serving our local consumers and customers, and as importantly, supporting our communities."

The sale is part of Coke's strategy to divest of its bottling operations to five of its biggest U.S. bottlers.

"Together with Coca-Cola United, we believe a strong franchise system is critical to our success and achieving our 2020 Vision, said Sandy Douglas, group president for Coca-Cola North America. "With this announcement we continue our efforts to create a more contemporary, agile and customer-focused operating model."

The Scottsboro Coke bottling operation will be part of the unit that also includes Chattanooga, Dalton, Ga., Summerville, Ga., Ringgold, Ga., Rossville, and Fort Oglethorpe. The unit is building a new $65 million distribution center on the site of the former Olan Mills plant off of Highway 153 in Chattanooga

"We share a common desire to deliver the greatest brands in the beverage indsutry to consumers in the areas we call home," said Darren Hodges, vice president of the Tennessee Valley division of Coke United.

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