After Over 100 Years in Gastonia, Sundrop Bottler Announcing Plans To Move Operations

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What might be Gastonia’s most iconic beverage, Sundrop, will no longer be bottled in the city.

According to a press release, Choice USA Beverage has just reached an agreement with Independent Beverage Company (IBC) to move all bottling operations over the Catawba to IBC’s Charlotte facility.

Choice USA Beverage has bottled drinks in their Gastonia facility since 1917 and they have been bottling the iconic Sundrop drink since 1953.

The company said the consolidation with IBC will allow them to become much more competitive in the soft drink industry, and improve their sales and distribution.

Choice USA Beverage currently employs 250 workers at their 3 Gaston and Cleveland County facilities, including; a bottling plant off East Franklin Blvd in Gastonia, their company headquarters in Lowell, a regional distribution center in Gastonia, their headquarters in Lowell, and a sales and warehouse facility in Shelby.

The only facility that will be affected by the consolidation with IBC will be the East Franklin Blvd bottling plant. All 36 bottling plant workers will have to find other positions within the company or be terminated.

The last bottle of Gastonia Sundrop will come off the line this coming September.

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