Coca-Cola to shut down California plant after 114 years

After more than a century, Ventura is set to lose one of its oldest businesses.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling announced on May 8 in a WARN notice that it will shut down its Ventura plant permanently on July 10. 

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The closure will impact 85 employees. 

“We regularly assess our locations, products and services to ensure we can continue driving sustainable growth and innovation across our business,” a spokesperson for Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling wrote SFGATE via email Tuesday. “As such, we have announced the closure of our Ventura Distribution Center and the transfer of operations to our other Southern California facilities.”

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling confirmed the last day of operations will be Friday, July 10, along with the number of employees impacted. 

“Eighty-five is the correct number of employees affected by the shift in operations,” the spokesperson wrote. “Most (78) will be reassigned to other RCCB facilities. Additionally, affected employees have the option of applying for any open roles for which they are qualified within RCCB and our sister companies.”

The closure will bid farewell to the city’s long-tenured relationship with Coca-Cola, which dates back to the early 20th century. 

“Two of the nation’s top soft drink bottlers and dispensers, Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Nehi Bottling company, operate modern plants here,” the Ventura County Star reported on May 2, 1953. “At peak operations their combined 23-hour output can reach 3,500 cases of soft drinks.”

The history of soda production and distribution in Ventura, even in the 1950s, was remarkable. “The soda pop business is by no means new to Ventura, Coca-Cola opening its first bottling plant here in 1912 at a spot just off Front street now the scene of U.S. 101 highway Meta street cut-off,” the Star reported in 1953. “The plant later moved to 77 W. Main Street and in 1937 to a new and modern plant at the corner of Seward avenue and Thompson boulevard was opened.”

SFGATE reached out to the city of Ventura for comment about the pending closure but did not receive a comment back by time of publication. 

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Ventura isn’t the only California city reeling from a recent Coca-Cola plant closure. Last April, the Coca-Cola plant in American Canyon announced its closure. Laying off 135 employees, that plant shut down in August. 

That same month, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling closed down its Salinas plant after more than 70 years, noting it would consolidate operations with a nearby plant in San Jose, impacting 81 employees and leaving a historic building empty.

“You know, we would have preferred San Jose consolidated into Salinas, but that’s not the way it works,” Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue told KSBW-TV at the time of the closure. “Having said that, we do believe it’s an attractive facility. I know at least three parties that have expressed interest in the facility, so we’re certainly encouraged by that.” 

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling’s spokesperson said the company expects the transition “to better position us for long-term growth and enhanced service for our customers and consumers.”

“As always,” their email concluded, “we’ve communicated this important update to our employees and stakeholders.”