Pepsi / 3rd tier bottler codes - need help

[fusion]

Also, in response to Terry's post.

CCE has some facilities that are older, or are dedicated to making just one package. That's pretty much the way it is in the Mid-Atlantic. Baltimore is a can facility. They make Fridge Packs, 6 packs, and 24 packs. They used to make 4 packs and 18 packs as well (and probably 20 packs, too).

Alexandria, Virginia is a bottle facility. They only make two liters and one liters.

Silver Spring (an old sales center) just makes 20oz and bag in box. I suspect that Alexandria ran them before this facility was remodeled, but I'm not sure.

Richmond is the newest facility, and the most versitile. They run every package, but mostly for the Virginia and the one NC sales center. However, when demand is too high for the other plants, we will get 12 packs, or 24 packs, or 2 liters from them (rarely do we get their 20oz, though). Funny thing is, all the Mello Yello FPs I've seen in our area have come from there. They recently added on a Dasani line, which produces 20oz, 6pk 16.9oz, and 12pk 16.9oz. This facility also produces 16.9oz for the whole Mid-Atlantic Division, plus they also sell some to Central and other indies.

Even with all that, sometimes things happen.. too much demand, not enough of a brand, or maybe they've ran out of concentrate, labels, cans, etc.. So they source from Twinsburg... Twinsburg makes everything including Dasani.

A lot of the indies never had can lines, they bought from other bottlers, or places like Mid-Atlantic Canners.

[Terry K]

Originally posted by Android:
I really wish someone would just put together a website that lists all the different bottler codes and how to read the date codes for bottlers that don't use expiration dates.

We at the STS are compiling such a list for your viewing pleasure. I will hopefully have it posted soon.

[Terry K]

Originally posted by Cheer-wined:
Terry, so do I understand correctly - generally speaking, the "produced by..." verbage found on the can/bottle is not necessarily accurate i.e. it may produced at another location?

With the example stated above this would make sense, because PBV has a smaller plant in Winston-Salem as well, maybe one of the codes is Winston-Salem and one is Raleigh.

You're absolutely right. The name posted on the cap is just the name and HQ of the bottler, not the actual production facility. ALL PBG product says "Produced by Local Bottlers for the Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc., Somers, NY 10589"

CCE says "Bottled by a member of the CCE bottling group, Atlanta, GA 30339"

Indie bottlers, eg, Ozarks Coke, list their name and city of HQ on each cap (Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper, Springfield, MO 65807).

In my area, California, it would be impractical to sell product acutally produced in NY here.

[Cheer-wined]

ok, got it now. I knew for the big ones like CCE that the location was generic, but now I see that it applies everywhere. so what's printed on the side of the can/bottle/etc. is the legal entity that does the production, but the code is the only accurate way to know the production facility. thanks!

[RunWithDaLilGuy]

terry k, you guys at sts rock.

[RunWithDaLilGuy]

the side of the can is generally where the HQ is. if it's small, like say, coca-cola middlesboro (which you should've found in harlan county, kentucky), their general offices would probably be in the same building or right next door to the bottling plant. however, cce's HQ is in atlanta. for michigan (our own division), the HQ is in belleville but nowhere near any sort of processing plant (dt: detroit, gr: grand rapids, fl: flint, paw paw as well).

one place i want to go to is in the UP, there's this one area serviced by, get this, Bink's Coke. Bink's?!?!?! Yes, and they're also a beer/wine and possibly a liquor distributor as well. i kid you not. supposedly, they also have third tier brands like snapple and jones. that last one is a rumor but these guys are indie and supposedly proud of it. one day when i have a free time i'll call up there and see what they've got, i bet it's pure lunacy, maybe downright Binky.

[drpep]

Where is the "UP"?

[drpep]

LE - Is there a place called Laural Pennsylvania. That sticks in my mind. Near Pittsburgh?

[ 11-30-2003, 09:34 PM: Message edited by: dr pepperman ]

[RunWithDaLilGuy]

sorry, upper peninsula. i've been caught being a michigander. how lame.

[fusion]

Be careful with some of the newer Coke packaging, though. Since Coke formed the Coca-Cola Bottlers' Association (a company that purchases raw materials in bulk for small bottlers and passes the savings on to them), some cans have showed up with "Canned under the authority of the Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Georgia by a member of the Coca-Cola Bottlers' Association, Atlanta, Georgia 30318. I have some DP and Fanta from Philly Coke that say that.