For the fourth year in a row, the locally owned Coca-Cola Beverages Florida has been named a U.S. Best Managed Company, a prestigious national award presented by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. The company, headquartered in Tampa, just opened a sprawling $300-plus million sales and distribution center on the entire northwest corner of U.S. 301 and Causeway Boulevard, and celebrated its 10-year anniversary.
Adding to the achievement, Coke Florida has attained ‘Gold Standard’ status, a distinction reserved for companies honored four years in a row. Among Florida-based businesses, only one other has achieved this elite recognition.
“Being selected as a U.S. Best Managed Company for the fourth year in a row while celebrating our 10-year anniversary is a tremendous honor,” said Troy Taylor, CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida. “I am incredibly proud of our over 5,000 associates whose passion for representing our brands, serving our customers and engaging in our communities has propelled us to achieve Gold Standard recognition.”
Based in Tampa, Coke Florida runs operations across the state, from Jacksonville to the Florida Keys. The company employs over 5,000 people and serves more than 21 million Floridians. It’s also one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States.
At a celebratory event held in honor of the achievement, T’Shaka Lee, a partner at Deloitte Private, added, “It’s very hard to win multiple times. It’s a very, very small percentage of companies that get recognized as winners multiple times … and Coke Florida is a young company. That speaks to what [they have] built in a short time.”
Attendees commemorated the occasion with a toast using signature Coca-Cola glass bottles, surrounded by the Best Managed logo and a proud, energized team.
Winning in the four key areas of strategy, execution, culture and financial performance year after year is rare, especially for a local, Florida-based company founded in 2015. The award started the celebration as it celebrated its 10-year anniversary on May 29. Coke Florida joins a global network of over 1,600 companies across 44 countries that have earned the title.
Taylor credited the team behind the success.
“The two greatest things we have going for us are the Coke brands and our people,” he said. “Our frontline associates are the face of our Coke brands and our people. When you bring those things together and you execute, that’s when we win.”
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