Birmingham’s Coca-Cola Bottling Company United production team wins coveted President’s Award for Quality Excellence

New Orleans Coca-Cola Production Center, a Birmingham Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED) plant in Harahan, Louisiana, won the prestigious President’s Award for Quality Excellence from The Coca-Cola Company. The New Orleans plant has demonstrated best-in-class performance in reducing consumer complaint rates, capacity, compliance and commitment to quality.

Since 1987, The Coca-Cola Company has presented the President’s Award to the only manufacturing facility in the United States that delivers on its promises of consumer satisfaction and enjoyment. The New Orleans facility has achieved the highest overall score in the President’s Quality Scoring Index and has maintained all external certifications for quality, food safety, occupational safety and environmental impact.

“Anyone who has worked in the bottling business in the United States for any length of time knows that New Orleans is one of the major bottling franchises in all of North America,” said John Sherman, president and CEO of Coca-Cola UNITED. “When New Orleans joined the UNITED family in 2016, investing in our associates and facilities was paramount for us. The success of the past five years is a true testament to our team’s commitment to our four core values, one of which is quality.

Stan Ellington, vice president of supply chain and operations for Coca-Cola UNITED, echoed Sherman’s sentiments, attributing this achievement to the “two Ps” – people and processes.

“Quality doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design,” Ellington said. “Winning the President’s Award is real teamwork that goes beyond supply chain and production. It is the coming together of all areas of our business that has made this possible, from business to sales and distribution to engineering and fleet. It is our people who bring New Orleans to life.

James “Butch” Scarborough, director of the Coca-Cola production center in New Orleans, added that the victory was a big boost for the team, many of whom were hit by Hurricane Ida in southern. Louisiana.

“It means a lot to be recognized for our efforts and our positive impact on the customers, consumers and the communities we serve,” said Scarborough. “This honor is particularly uplifting as many of our associates and communities recover from the storm. I am proud of the resilience our team has shown while performing at the highest level.

“The Coca-Cola UNITED facility in New Orleans is a shining example of quality excellence. In the face of adversity and natural disasters, their commitment to quality has not wavered; it got stronger, ”said Alfredo Rivera, president of North America for The Coca-Cola Company. “Their hard work, resilient spirit and commitment to the community has helped them elevate their performance to the highest levels of quality and consumer satisfaction. “

Founded in 1902, New Orleans Coca-Cola today serves more than 5,000 customers in the greater metropolitan area. New Orleans Coca-Cola joined the Coca-Cola UNITED family in 2016. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Coca-Cola UNITED is the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States, and most of Louisiana is part of its territory. The company operates bottling facilities and distribution centers in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, as well as sales and distribution centers in Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport. Statewide, Coca-Cola UNITED employs more than 2,100 Louisiana residents.