A Delineation of Roles
Coca-Cola Co. manufactures the syrup concentrate used to make soft drinks and sells the syrup to bottlers and to restaurants. The company also designs and names its products and conducts the national marketing and advertising campaigns to sell Coca-Cola products.
About 275 independent bottling companies operate in the United States, and they own exclusive bottling franchises in perpetuity. In bottling plants, they mix the concentrate with carbonated water and other ingredients, then put it in bottles and cans. The bottlers distribute the finished products to stores and set retail prices.
