VILLISCA, IA: The Tyler Family and Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company have signed a contract with Chesterman Coca-Cola Company for a territory swap, effective October 31st, 2020. This territory swap grants Atlantic Bottling the ability to return to Villisca, Iowa, where the company was founded in 1909.
The process of this territory swap includes identifying capital assets such as cooler, vending and fountain equipment, in addition to rerouting sales and delivery teams, and following through with accounting principles. Atlantic Bottling has also increased staff in order to bring their service model into this new territory.
The Tyler Family is excited to return to the legacy and recapture the history in southwest Iowa. Atlantic Bottling is looking forward to providing exceptional customer service and continuing to bring refreshing Coca-Cola products throughout this historical area.
ABOUT ATLANTIC BOTTLING: In Villisca, Iowa, 1909, the Tyler Family brothers Harry and Henry started in the ice and ice cream business, with 18 different soda flavors. In 1912, the brothers bought a creamery in Clarinda. In the warehouse of the creamery, they found a safe with a franchise with Coca-Cola. Very few in this part of the country knew what Coca-Cola was at the time, so Harry and Henry bottled a few Coca-Cola’s up and added it to the portfolio of their soft drinks so people would try it in addition to their typical soft drink favorites.
In 1929, as the soft drink sales began to increase, the Tyler Brothers sold the ice cream business. The Tyler Brothers at the time had 4 franchises in Atlantic, Creston, Shenandoah, and Grand Island, Nebraska. Later in 1949, the Tyler Brothers were advised that the business got too big for one family. Fortunately, the brothers got along very well, so they drew straws. Harry won Atlantic and Creston, while Henry won Shenandoah and Grand Island. Each family went along business that way for several years.
In 1974, Coca-Cola North America asked Henry, his son Jim Tyler, and grandson Kirk Tyler, to takeover the Des Moines franchise which one of the worst Coca-Cola markets in the industry at the time. Young and determined, Kirk Tyler moved to the area after the purchase in 1975 to run and manage that franchise.
In 2014, Jim and Kirk heard that The Coca-Cola Company was refranchising the US – so they traveled to Atlanta to convey their interest in expanding the franchise. Then, October of 2016 Jim and Kirk went from 200 to 800 employees and from 2 to 9 sales centers, ensuring that for generations to come the Tyler Family will be a part of the Coca-Cola system.
Currently, Atlantic Bottling bottles Coca-Cola products in Atlantic, Iowa, with corporate offices in Des Moines, and branches in Atlantic, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Mason City, Ottumwa, Spirit Lake, and Walcott.
