ATLANTA, June 26, 2023 – Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company (CCBSS), a limited liability company owned by nearly 70 independent Coca-Cola bottlers, was recently awarded the dotONE Pioneer Award for Automation Excellence during HighRadius Corporation’s annual Radiance conference!

The award recognizes CCBSS’ transformational results in driving productivity through the automation of manual order-to-cash processes and redirecting resources to more strategic activities. In addition, it reflects the enormous efforts of the entire CCBSS team as they continue to implement innovative technology.

To date, these automations have resulted in significant productivity and efficiency gains for the organization. CCBSS strongly believes in building a culture of innovation. This award highlights the company’s passion of successfully implementing new strategic ideas.

Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company (CCBSS), a limited liability company owned by nearly 70 independent Coca-Cola bottlers, recently opened a new office at 8125 Highwoods Palm Way, Tampa, Florida, to accommodate collaboration and cultural engagement.

In addition to the corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, the new office space in Tampa supports the company’s operational strategy of innovation and sustainability. This development is a strong testament of the Coca-Cola System’s commitment to US-based shared service operations. The newest CCBSS office is an upgrade from its previous location to a modern, collaborative, and vibrant workplace home for its Florida-based associates.

“To better support our ways of working together in CCBSS, we opened a location that allows greater opportunity for a collaborative interdisciplinary team approach via an open office construct,” explained Brandi Shortt, CCBSS President and CEO. “The decision to move our presence in Tampa was an important step in our business strategy.”

The new CCBSS Tampa office is conveniently located on the I-75 corridor and is surrounded by a number of amenities for the company’s associates to enjoy. 

CCBSS Procurement embodies our Leadership Behavior of Engage & Inspire Growth by proactively looking for new innovative sustainable solutions. Janetta Lavender, CCBSS Senior Director of Procurement, and John Kocinski, CCBSS Director of Procurement, work diligently to support The Coca-Cola System’s sustainability mission. One of the team’s efforts recently came into fruition when Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages became the first US-based bottler to have KeelClip™ 1600 machinery in their Elmsford, NY production facility. This equipment installs fiber-based paper fasteners on six-packs instead of plastic rings.

CCBSS was proud to partner with Liberty Coca-Cola as well as various stakeholders to be part of a positive solution that will remove 75,000 pounds of plastic packaging yearly from the supply chain.

This is just one of the many solutions CCBSS is bringing forward. “We expect to see more bottlers and suppliers coming out with innovative ways of doing things throughout the years to come.” John Kocinski explained, “There is no idea that CCBSS Procurement turns away. When reviewing a new solution, we carefully analyze the cost, technical capital, value, and the package as a whole.” The KeelClip™1600 machinery implementation was a large-scale project that took a lot of time and effort to complete, but its success is a big step towards a sustainable future.

“As part of CCBSS Procurement, we act as a link between suppliers with new ideas and our bottlers to implement these ideas,” advised Janetta Lavender. Being innovative is ingrained in the CCBSS culture. We believe in serving as a single, forward-thinking voice to our bottlers and consistently collaborating as one CCBSS family.

Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company (CCBSS), a limited liability company owned by nearly 70 independent Coca-Cola bottlers, recently concluded their annual Back-to-School Supply Drive. The CCBSS team donated essential supplies to students in the company’s primary cities of operation, Atlanta, Tampa, and Tulsa.

In a campaign that ran for two weeks, employees across CCBSS generously contributed essential items to students and families experiencing hardship. Collectively, CCBSS gave away more than 200 backpacks and nearly $4,000 worth of school supplies to help ensure that local students have the items they need to aid in their success this year.

“At CCBSS we believe in supporting our communities where we live and work. Education is one of the corporate social responsibility pillars upon which CCBSS stands. Providing students in under-resourced communities with the tools and supplies they need to be successful and feel confident in school is crucial now more than ever,” said Caitlyn Carr, CCBSS Senior Vice President, Business Services. “I am proud that CCBSS and our employees can make a difference in our communities by helping kids get off to a great start as they begin a new school year.”

The company’s annual school supply drive represents just one more way in which CCBSS gives back to the communities they serve. Throughout the year, CCBSS partners with various non-profit organizations with the goal of providing students in underserved communities opportunities and resources. CCBSS has a long tradition of supporting communities in Atlanta, Tampa, and Tulsa. In addition to encouraging its employees to volunteer in the community, CCBSS team members are given time off during the regular business day each quarter for volunteer activities.

With a drive for excellence, Mark Dunkerely’s achievements landed him on Security magazine’s key professionals list as a 2022 Top Cybersecurity Leader! Mark Dunkerely, CCBSS Director in IT Architecture and Cybersecurity, was recognized for his extensive career and success in cybersecurity.

The Top Cybersecurity Leaders program features enterprise information security executives and professionals, with an aim to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through their stories. Mark inspired readers with his various stories of success. He discussed his early years, where he played soccer at a competitive level and won a Division II NCAA national championship. Following this accomplishment, he earned a master’s degree in business and later joined the Coca-Cola System in 2015.

As a Director in the CCBSS IT organization, Mark is responsible for delivering secure technology solutions and services for the company, along with overseeing new technologies, processes, and procedures, consistently identifying risks. Additionally, Mark is a published author. In his latest book, “Mastering Windows Security and Hardening,” he details how to gain expertise when implementing efficient security measures and how to create robust defense solutions.

Mark is the epitome of a high achiever, consistently working to improve his skillset and further protect CCBSS’ IT platforms. Congratulations, Mark on this prestigious achievement!

CCBSS’ Procurement organization was a finalist in the 2021 Plastics Industry Awards for the Supplier Partnership – Toolmaker category. This award recognizes companies that supply goods and services to plastics processors, and it examines the work they do during and after the life of a project in a sustainable manner. The CCBSS Procurement team has worked diligently to increase closure supply capacity and overall single-serve PET production across the North America supply network. This finalist trophy recognizes the outstandingly innovative work CCBSS Procurement does in the sustainability space!

Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company (CCBSS), a limited liability company owned by nearly 70 independent Coca-Cola bottlers, announced today that Bill O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling (RCCB), has been elected chairman of its board of directors succeeding Mark Schortman, former CEO of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB), who has retired with 16 years of distinguished board leadership to CCBSS.

“I feel honored to have Bill lead our board of directors. He brings an incredible depth and breadth of Coca-Cola System, beverage industry and bottler experience, gained over more than three decades,” said CCBSS President and CEO Brandi Shortt. “Bill’s wisdom and expertise will be invaluable as we look toward the future and how we can continue to evolve both the Coca-Cola System bottler and CCBSS associate experience.”

Since 2017, Bill has served as CEO for RCCB, a proud West Coast bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products operating in California and Nevada. The organization employs more than 6,000 people and operates 30 facilities.

During his more than 30-year career within the Coca-Cola System, Bill has served as president and general manager of the West Operating Unit of Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR); vice president and general manager of CCR’s West Region; senior vice president and general manager of On-Premise Operations for Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit (NAOU); senior vice president of Commercial Leadership for NAOU’s Still Beverage Business Unit; West Region vice president for NAOU Retail; vice president of Sales Operations for the NAOU Food Service division; and vice president of Sales for the West Group of Coca-Cola Food Service.

As an active member of his community, Bill volunteers with organizations such as Special Olympics Southern California. He also serves as a board member of the American Beverage Association and LA84 Foundation and as an advisory board member of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission.

“I couldn’t begin to thank Mark enough for everything he has done for CCBSS. Since 2005, we’ve been fortunate to be able to leverage his brilliance allowing us to make the right decisions at the right time, materializing the company we are today,” explained Brandi. “As we ready for what’s next, Bill’s unique vision and knowledge arrives at the perfect time for CCBSS. He will guide us as we make key strategic decisions for the road ahead.”

Under its current governance, CCBSS board chairpersons serve two terms.

We are excited to announce the launch of our new public website, CCBSS.com! Our new site is designed to help viewers be more informed and engaged with CCBSS. Whether they be interested applicants, partners within the Coca-Cola System or family and friends of CCBSS associates, our new public website is reflective of our company’s positive and assertive culture as well as the unified value we bring as one family working together to support the Coca-Cola Bottling System in North America.

This new, powerful site represents our unique and distinguished company, as well as reinforces our history, but also the company’s promising future. The new site features a contemporary visual identity, accurately reflecting our brand. The new site will help clearly distinguish CCBSS and our culture as it’s themed around who we are, what we do and why we serve the North America Coca-Cola Bottling System.

By Erin Sloan, Plastics News Staff

Coca-Cola wins the 2020 Caps & Closures Innovation Award for the first beverage closure made from post-consumer recycled content, made for its Dasani bottled water line.

The use of recycled content in beverage bottles has been a major focus in recent years, but Coca-Cola Co. has taken its sustainability measures to new heights — the closure.

The newly designed closure for Coca-Cola’s bottled water line, Dasani, is the first of its kind in the beverage industry that has post-consumer recycled content.

The closure was named the winner of Plastics News’ Plastics Caps & Closures Innovation Award during the annual conference on Sept. 25.

“Wow, that’s a big surprise,” said Izabela Lomacka, global procurement director for Atlanta-based Coca-Cola. “Innovations such as these are essential to keep driving action toward a sustainable future. I would like to stress it has been the first use of post-consumer content in our system and, as far as we are aware, is the first in the beverage industry; therefore, it’s a great milestone to be celebrated.”

The closure has the same feel, seal and other characteristics of traditional Dasani closures but with the added sustainability bonus of recycled content.

Michael Price, engineer in research and development for Coca-Cola said that the closure itself has 30 percent recycled content which was a “sweet spot” for functionality. The PCR was harvested from high-density polyethylene milk jugs, which are then purchased from the recycling system, ground, sorted and purified to meet FDA levels.

“Our experience is that we met our goal, which was to make this change invisible to consumers and bottling plants,” he said. “No one is really aware of it because it’s a seamless change in our process.”

During a keynote presentation with the conference, Bimal Lakhotia, director of packaging research and development at Coca-Cola, cited Dasani’s green-colored cap as a nod to the sustainability efforts in the making of the packaging. Green denotes “sustainable” or “recycling.”

“On packaging, there is a science behind using the colors, specifically looking at consumers and coming up with a color of closures,” he said.

Typically, he said, a consumer would weigh purchasing a product made of virgin plastic vs. one made of PCR — the consumer will definitely go with the PCR and is ready to invest in the circular economy.

Incorporating PCR content into closure manufacturing is not an easy process, and teams at Coca-Cola used significant resources in development, testing, partnerships with suppliers, food and safety regulations with the FDA to finish the closure.

“The overall project was pretty technically difficult. Imagine taking PCR, a different resin, and trying to blend it with virgin resin,” said Penny Walter of Coca-Cola bottlers. “It was also difficult to find suppliers that can have an FDA approved material.”

PCR can have some unsavory taste or odors, but Coca-Cola’s processor Envision put the content through rigorous purification to ensure the closures would not have those issues, Price said.

The closure supports Coca-Cola’s pledge to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for a new plastics economy with higher recycled content and Coca-Cola’s own World Without Waste Program.

The program is a pledge by Coca-Cola to make all packaging from recycled content by 2025, including bottles, cans and closures.

“We want to collect and recycle to drive that circular economy. We’re 60 percent of the way there. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re committed to this World Without Waste program,” Price said. Another finalist was Calyx Containers, which made the first packaging system for concentrates used in the cannabis industry. It designed a lid with a multi-shot molded cap and TPE gasket that features a quick closing time that makes the jar secure and child-resistant. The other finalist, Clayton Corp., designed a fire extinguisher foam product in an aerosol can, complete with a pressure indicator and a spray cap.

By Coca-Cola North America and Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company

Coca-Cola North America is bringing a new twist to sustainable packaging by using caps made from recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic – a beverage industry first – on DASANI bottles.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling has piloted and commercialized the resealable closures, which include 30 percent of recycled content, on 20-oz., half-liter and 1-liter PET bottles of DASANI in California. This pioneering innovation supports The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste vision to collect and recycle the equivalent of a bottle or can for each one it sells globally by 2030; to make all packaging fully recyclable by 2025; and to make bottles and cans with 50 percent recycled material by 2030.

“We’ve continued to make progress on long-term goals to reduce waste. Even through this challenging pandemic, we’ve been able to introduce innovations to help improve the sustainability of our packaging,” said Bruce Karas, VP of Environment, Sustainability & Safety, Coca-Cola North America.

The process of producing plastic closures like twist-off caps is challenging from both a manufacturing and regulatory standpoint. Threading inside an FDA-approved cap must fit perfectly with threading on the neck of the bottle to ensure an airtight seal.

“This is not a small achievement,” Karas added, noting that most caps are produced with virgin plastic. “Closures and labels are often missed in the overall context of sustainable packaging, but they’re just as important as bottles and cans. Using recycled content in caps is a clear example of how World Without Waste is challenging us to rethink existing models.”

Coca-Cola North America and Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services (CCBSS) worked closely with resin and closure suppliers to develop a cap made with recycled HDPE – the type of plastic used to make milk jug and detergent containers – while meeting all technical and food safety requirements.

“We couldn’t be any more excited about this work as it brings to our consumers the full innovative capacity of the Coca-Cola system – from a sustainability perspective,” explained Suzana Stanimirovic, Chief Procurement Officer, Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services Company (CCBSS). She continued, “In partnership with various suppliers, CCBSS and Coca-Cola North America developed the first commercially successful bottle cap made from Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials. Additionally, we will continue our work by raising recycling awareness within the communities we serve in order to improve collection rates. This will bolster our efforts by allowing us to further leverage post-consumer curbside recycled materials.”

The California pilot also includes a monolayer label for DASANI bottles with 40 percent less plastic than existing labels. These new labels separate more easily in the recycling stream, which means bottles can be more easily recycled and used to make new bottles.

These developments will drive demand for recycled material, supporting a circular, job-creating economy. “Every time recycled material is used, we are reducing our carbon footprint and helping create an end-market for our PET bottles and our HDPE caps, which is very positive,” said Karas.

Coca-Cola North America also has continued to invest in community recycling during the pandemic to drive increased collection of its bottles and cans. The company has provided grants to local organizations like the Conservation Corp. of Long Beach and I Love a Clean San Diego in California, and national collaborations with The Recycling Partnership and The Closed Loop Fund to support curbside collection programs. In 2019, Coca-Cola joined the American Beverage Association in establishing a $100 million fund to support recycling infrastructure and educational programming for communities in 10 major cities.

“As people spend more time at home, we are recognizing an opportunity to do even more to help ensure that people have means to recycle at the curbside,” Karas said.

DASANI has been at the forefront of sustainable packaging innovation since 2009 with the launch of PlantBottle, the first fully recyclable bottle made partially from plants. In 2018, the brand became the first major water brand to debut a package-less water dispensing unit with DASANI PureFill. DASANI plans to remove the equivalent of 1 billion virgin PET bottles from its U.S. supply chain in the next five years.