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

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

“Anybody who’s been in the U.S. bottling business for any amount of time knows New Orleans is one of the great bottling franchises in all of North America,” said John Sherman, Coca-Cola UNITED president and CEO. “When New Orleans joined the UNITED family in 2016, it was paramount to us to invest in our associates and facilities. The success of the last five years is a true testament to our team’s commitment to our four core values, one of which is Quality.”

Stan Ellington, Coca-Cola UNITED vice president of Supply Chain and Operations, echoed Sherman’s sentiments, crediting the achievement to “the two Ps” – people and process.

“Quality doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by plan,” Ellington said. “Winning the President’s Award is a true team effort that isn’t limited to supply chain and production. It’s the coming together of all areas of our company that made this possible, from corporate to sales and distribution to engineering to fleet. It’s our people who bring New Orleans to life.”

James “Butch” Scarborough, New Orleans Coca-Cola Production Center manager, added the win is a big boost to the team, many of whom were impacted by Hurricane Ida in South Louisiana.

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

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

Established 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. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Coca-Cola UNITED is the third-largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the U.S., and most of Louisiana is included in 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.