WILMINGTON — G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers announced it will open its new 100,000-plus square foot Operations and Warehouse Center here in early November.
The Cincinnati-based Pepsi bottler’s new facility in Building 8 in the Commerce Park on Progress Way will be more than five times the size of its current location in Hillsboro, stated a company media release.
According to G&J Market Director Dale Turner, the new Wilmington Center was selected to “better serve our customers via Interstate and major highway access, as well as improved operational layout.
“We will be providing our sales and service to an expanded customer base with the new Wilmington Center. Our employees and management team are moving intact from Hillsboro to Wilmington and expect continued growth. We have already added more than a dozen new team members with a recent job fair in September,” Turner said.
Turner, a 22-year employee of G&J Pepsi, reported the new center was needed because the convenient Wilmington location created opportunities to expand warehousing and distribution profiles.
“G&J has production plants in Columbus, Franklin Furnace near Portsmouth, and in central Kentucky. This location will provide a centralized hub to receive and then deliver beverages to Hillsboro, Wilmington and surrounding areas via improved highway access,” he added.
State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) — who is Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives — and Ohio Sen. Bob Peterson will be present at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Wilmington Mayor Randy Riley and other city and state officials are expected to attend the 10 a.m. opening, along with company officials, corporate and local business partners.
G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers opened operations in Cincinnati under the name of the Grand Pop Bottling Company in 1925. Still owned and operated by the same two families, G&J has branches in Lexington, Winchester and Harrodsburg, Ky.; Columbus, Portsmouth, Hamilton, Chillicothe, Athens, Zanesville and Ripley, as well as the new Wilmington location.
The Hillsboro warehouse had been used by the company since 1966.
With executive offices at 9435 Waterstone Blvd. in Cincinnati, G&J is one of the largest family-owned franchise bottlers in the United States. It produces, distributes and sells a range of beverage products including: Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, Crush, Sierra Mist, Mug Root Beer, Aquafina Water, Starbucks Coffee and Frappuccino, Nature’s Twist, Lipton Tea products, Rock Star Energy, Gatorade, Fruit Shoots, Ocean Spray and SoBe beverages.
