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05.13.2021

Do Companies Really Switch Soft Drink Providers?

By Tim Harms

Updated October 2023

When it comes to choosing which beverage company to partner with for an exclusive or semi-exclusive pouring rights contract, you might be nervous about switching from one soft drink company to another. Concerns can be varied:

  • Will sales be impacted?
  • Will the conversion disrupt my operations?
  • Will my new account service team know my business?
  • Will I disappoint loyal customers?
  • What unknown factors will negatively impact my business by switching?

Through our 15+ years of experience, we’ve discovered these fears, for a variety of reasons, are largely unfounded. In fact, beverage sales nearly always increase in the first year of a beverage partner switch (or in the first year of a company’s first beverage agreement) – regardless of which beverage company is chosen. Switching beverage suppliers, if done correctly, can bring focus and energy to your beverage program. New beverage reps will be eager to showcase how they are able to increase incidence and sales at their new account, and new marketing reps will be enthusiastic at bringing refreshing ideas to bear on your business.

While contemplating a switch to a new beverage company, it’s likely helpful to know that you are not the first one to blaze this trail. In fact, you will join a long list of companies who have switched soda suppliers in recent years.

 

A Running List of Organizations Which Have Switched Beverage Providers

Below is a running list of companies who have switched beverage providers. Note that we have only included companies where the switch has been publicly announced or disclosed. The actual list is much longer.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

New Beverage Provider: ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages

Date: October 2023

More Details

 

U.S. Soccer

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola North America

Date: July 2023

More Details

 

United Center, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Blackhawks

New Beverage Provider: PepsiCo

Date: July 2023

More Details

 

Detroit Lions

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: April 2023

More Details

 

Wienerschnitzel

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: March 2023

More Details

 

Culver’s

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: January 2023

More Details

 

Chicago Cubs

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: January 2023

More Details

 

Fazoli’s

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

San Jose Sharks & San Jose Barracuda (Sharks Sports & Entertainment)

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

Dunkin Donuts

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: June 2022

More Details

 

University of Arkansas

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2022

More Details

 

Great Wolf Lodge

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: April 2022

More Details

 

Miami Beach

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: March 2022

More Details

 

Bally’s Casinos and Resorts

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: October 2021

More Details

 

Real Salt Lake

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2021

More Details

 

FAT Brands (Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, Elevation Burger, Buffalo’s Cafe, Buffalo’s Express)

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: May 2021

More Details

 

KFC Yum! Center

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: October 2020

More Details

 

Red Lobster

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: September 2020

More Details

 

Vanderbilt University

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2020

More Details

 

Philadelphia Eagles

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2020

More Details

 

Raleigh Durham Airport

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: April 2020

More Details

 

Regal Cinema

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: January 2020

More Details

 

Hard Rock International

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: December 2019

More Details

 

Carnival Cruise Lines

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: November 2019

More Details

 

Wells Fargo Center

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: November 2019

More Details

 

Carolina Panthers

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: June 2019

More Details

 

Panda Express

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2019

More Details

 

JetBlue Airlines

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: May 2019

More Details

 

Topgolf

New Beverage Partner: Coca-Cola

Date: December 2018

More Details

 

Cleveland Browns

New Beverage Provider: Keurig Dr. Pepper

Date: August 2018

More Details

 

Madison Square Garden

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2018

More Details

 

Nashville Predators

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola & Keurig Dr. Pepper

Date: July 2018

More Details

 

Frisch’s Big Boy

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: June 2018

More Details

 

Arby’s

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2018

More Details

 

Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

New Beverage Provider: PepsiCo

Date: March 2018

More Details

 

Tampa Bay Rays

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: February 2018

More Details

 

A Final Note

When evaluating your beverage partnership, there are a variety of factors to consider — and many valid reasons to remain with your current supplier after your current contract term elapses. Of course, we would never advocate that you should blindly switch providers, or do so without fully evaluating all factors. You should always evaluate your agreement through an objective lens, balancing your financial, marketing, operations, and supplier needs. If we can be of assistance in providing an objective viewpoint, we’d love to be of service.

 

 

Related Resources:

The Difference Between Pouring Rights & Beverage Marketing Agreements (…And Why It Matters)

How Rochester Regional Health Negotiated Its First Beverage Partnership

How Exclusive Beverage Deals Lead to Increased Sales

 

05.13.2021

Do Companies Really Switch Soft Drink Providers?

By Tim Harms

Updated October 2023

When it comes to choosing which beverage company to partner with for an exclusive or semi-exclusive pouring rights contract, you might be nervous about switching from one soft drink company to another. Concerns can be varied:

  • Will sales be impacted?
  • Will the conversion disrupt my operations?
  • Will my new account service team know my business?
  • Will I disappoint loyal customers?
  • What unknown factors will negatively impact my business by switching?

Through our 15+ years of experience, we’ve discovered these fears, for a variety of reasons, are largely unfounded. In fact, beverage sales nearly always increase in the first year of a beverage partner switch (or in the first year of a company’s first beverage agreement) – regardless of which beverage company is chosen. Switching beverage suppliers, if done correctly, can bring focus and energy to your beverage program. New beverage reps will be eager to showcase how they are able to increase incidence and sales at their new account, and new marketing reps will be enthusiastic at bringing refreshing ideas to bear on your business.

While contemplating a switch to a new beverage company, it’s likely helpful to know that you are not the first one to blaze this trail. In fact, you will join a long list of companies who have switched soda suppliers in recent years.

 

A Running List of Organizations Which Have Switched Beverage Providers

Below is a running list of companies who have switched beverage providers. Note that we have only included companies where the switch has been publicly announced or disclosed. The actual list is much longer.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

New Beverage Provider: ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages

Date: October 2023

More Details

 

U.S. Soccer

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola North America

Date: July 2023

More Details

 

United Center, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Blackhawks

New Beverage Provider: PepsiCo

Date: July 2023

More Details

 

Detroit Lions

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: April 2023

More Details

 

Wienerschnitzel

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: March 2023

More Details

 

Culver’s

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: January 2023

More Details

 

Chicago Cubs

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: January 2023

More Details

 

Fazoli’s

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

San Jose Sharks & San Jose Barracuda (Sharks Sports & Entertainment)

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: July 2022

More Details

 

Dunkin Donuts

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: June 2022

More Details

 

University of Arkansas

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2022

More Details

 

Great Wolf Lodge

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: April 2022

More Details

 

Miami Beach

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: March 2022

More Details

 

Bally’s Casinos and Resorts

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: October 2021

More Details

 

Real Salt Lake

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2021

More Details

 

FAT Brands (Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, Elevation Burger, Buffalo’s Cafe, Buffalo’s Express)

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: May 2021

More Details

 

KFC Yum! Center

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: October 2020

More Details

 

Red Lobster

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: September 2020

More Details

 

Vanderbilt University

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2020

More Details

 

Philadelphia Eagles

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2020

More Details

 

Raleigh Durham Airport

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: April 2020

More Details

 

Regal Cinema

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: January 2020

More Details

 

Hard Rock International

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: December 2019

More Details

 

Carnival Cruise Lines

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: November 2019

More Details

 

Wells Fargo Center

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: November 2019

More Details

 

Carolina Panthers

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: June 2019

More Details

 

Panda Express

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2019

More Details

 

JetBlue Airlines

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: May 2019

More Details

 

Topgolf

New Beverage Partner: Coca-Cola

Date: December 2018

More Details

 

Cleveland Browns

New Beverage Provider: Keurig Dr. Pepper

Date: August 2018

More Details

 

Madison Square Garden

New Beverage Provider: Pepsi

Date: July 2018

More Details

 

Nashville Predators

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola & Keurig Dr. Pepper

Date: July 2018

More Details

 

Frisch’s Big Boy

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: June 2018

More Details

 

Arby’s

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: May 2018

More Details

 

Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

New Beverage Provider: PepsiCo

Date: March 2018

More Details

 

Tampa Bay Rays

New Beverage Provider: Coca-Cola

Date: February 2018

More Details

 

A Final Note

When evaluating your beverage partnership, there are a variety of factors to consider — and many valid reasons to remain with your current supplier after your current contract term elapses. Of course, we would never advocate that you should blindly switch providers, or do so without fully evaluating all factors. You should always evaluate your agreement through an objective lens, balancing your financial, marketing, operations, and supplier needs. If we can be of assistance in providing an objective viewpoint, we’d love to be of service.

 

 

Related Resources:

The Difference Between Pouring Rights & Beverage Marketing Agreements (…And Why It Matters)

How Rochester Regional Health Negotiated Its First Beverage Partnership

How Exclusive Beverage Deals Lead to Increased Sales

 

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