BOTTLING STRATEGY: Coke’s Refranchising Plan Takes Major Step Forward

The nearly-completed Coca-Cola refranchising strategy is to build a team of bottling partners that can serve major customers while maintaining “strong, local ties across diverse markets” in Canada and U.S. To that end, company has signed letter of intent for major Northeast territories with Coca-Cola Refreshments executives Paul Mulligan’s and Fran McGorry’s new bottling company, Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages LLC. Territories include metropolitan New York, Philadelphia, most of New Jersey, part of Delaware, four production facilities.