Rock Hill Coca-Cola Blog

Rock Hill Coke employees

Rock Hill Coke: The Employees

A Long History of Loyal Employees During its hundred-year history many wonderful and unique individuals served as loyal employees of the Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company. It was not unusual to have employees serving faithfully for over 40 years. The first employee was Red Kimbrell. Red served as a delivery boy and had numerous other […]

Rock Hill Coke sign

Rock Hill Coca-Cola’s First 100 Years

This timeline neatly summarizes the events that shaped Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s first 100 years. 1880s January 29, 1878 William Mark Mauldin is born. October 5, 1885 Mayme Williams Mauldin is born. 1886 First Coca-Cola served at Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta. 1888 Asa Candler acquires the rights to Coca-Cola. 1890s 1899 Ben Thomas and […]

Rock Hill 21st Century

Rock Hill Coke in the 21st Century

Dramatic Changes in the 21st Century The Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company experienced dramatic changes in the early years of the new century. In 2001 plans were finalized to build a new plant on a nine-acre spot in the newly developed 100- acre Aspen Commerce Park. The company needed more room for the 35 employees […]

1990s Coke ad

Rock Hill Coke in the 1990s

New Products and New Markets in the 1990s PowerAde, Dasani bottled water, and Fruitopia were introduced by the Coca-Cola Company in the 1990s. Political and economic changes opened vast markets that were closed or underdeveloped for decades. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Coca-Cola Company invested heavily to build plants in Eastern Europe. […]

1970s ad

Rock Hill Coke in the 1970s

New Products in New Packaging In the 1970s, “Mr. Pibb” and “Mellow Yello” brands were added. Following years of research into plastic soft-drink bottles the Company introduced PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) packing in 1977 in the 2-liter size. That’s a lot of Coke During the 1970s, worldwide sales for Coca-Cola were more than 165 million drinks […]

1960s ad

Rock Hill Coke in the 1960s

More Product Lines Appear The Coca-Cola Company in general and Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company in particular continued to grow during the 1960s. Several new brands were introduced, including Sprite®, Fanta®, Fresca® and Tab®. The Minute Maid Corporation merged with the Coca-Cola Company and added frozen citrus juice concentrates and Ades under the trademarks Minute […]

1950s 50th anniversary

Rock Hill Coke in the 1950s

The life of the Coca-Cola Company in general and the Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company specifically grew in important ways in the 1950s. Television Sponsorship On Thanksgiving Day in 1950, Edgar Bergen and his sidekick, Charlie McCarthy, appeared on the first live television network show sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company. Many famous celebrities were to […]

1940s soldiers

Rock Hill Coke in the 1940s, part 2

Another Mauldin Family Tragedy Another decade brought a new trial for the Mauldin Family in the 1940s. Once more the family had to depend on their faith to sustain them through the tragedy. Tragedy struck the family when their daughter, Mary Mauldin Zimmerman, died from complications during pregnancy. Mary had married Edgar Rowe Zimmerman, Jr. […]

1940s Coca-Cola ad

Rock Hill Coke in the 1940s, part 1

Progress for the Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company that continued throughout the 1930s pushed into the new decade even stronger. A New Building Makes the Newspaper During the 1940s the Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company grew enough that the company would move into a new plant facility. May 16, 1941 and June 24, 1941 articles in […]

1930s Rock Hill Coke Truck

Rock Hill Coca-Cola in the 1930s, part 2

The 1930s were a busy time for the Coca-Cola Company. The company continued to grow and to develop its products and marketing images. You can read about those changes here. While the Coca-Cola Company developed nationally and even internationally, so too did the Mauldin family in Rock Hill (and other beautiful areas of South Carolina). […]