TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida), a family-owned, independent Coca-Cola bottler, announced today that it has been certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The company will be actively engaged with the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council (FSMSDC), the local NMSDC affiliate.
“We are excited to be certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) because it will immediately help our existing customer partners meet their supplier diversity commitments and goals,” said Troy Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Coke Florida. “Beyond that, the certification gives us a unique competitive advantage as we seek to grow and expand our business with new and existing companies, healthcare organizations, business co-operatives, government entities, sports and entertainment venues, and colleges and universities. Ultimately, we look forward to using our MBE certification to help us grow and expand our business throughout the Sunshine State.”
The FSMSDC “is proud to have a company the size of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida as a certified MBE,” said Beatrice Louissaint, the FSMSDC’s President and CEO. “We look forward to working with the company to meet its supplier diversity goals and to help them continue to expand.”
The NMSDC is one of the country’s leading corporate membership organizations. Its mission is to advance business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises and connect them to corporate members. The intent of the MBE certification and supplier diversity programs is to support the growth of minority-owned businesses and fuel job creation.
About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is a family-owned, independent Coca-Cola bottler. Coke Florida’s exclusive territory covers over 18 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, and includes the major metropolitan markets of Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa. Coke Florida manufactures, sells and distributes over 600 products of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies. Coke Florida is the third-largest privately-held, and the sixth-largest independent, bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States. The company is also one of America’s largest black-owned businesses. Coke Florida was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit cocacolaflorida.com.
About FSMSDC
The Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council (FSMSDC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing access and growth for minority businesses in Florida. The organization’s goal is to increase purchasing from minority businesses by government entities and corporations, while increasing the operating capacity of minority businesses through hands-on business assistance, training and access to technology and capital resources. Founded in 1975, the FSMSDC is one of 23 regional councils affiliated with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The FSMSDC acts as a liaison between corporate America and certified Minority Business Enterprises in the state of Florida. For more information, please visit fsmsdc.org.
