What do Fanta, Jack Daniel’s, Topo Chico, and Dasani all have in common? They are all part of the vast and ever-expanding beverage portfolio of The Coca-Cola Company. This global giant has transcended its iconic sparkling soft drink roots to become a “total beverage company,” offering everything from juices and plant-based drinks to coffees and teas.
The Coca-Cola Company’s business model relies heavily on a network of independent bottling partners worldwide, and one such crucial partner is Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling. While The Coca-Cola Company owns the beloved brands and the secret formulas, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling takes on the vital role of manufacturing, packaging, and distributing these diverse beverages to local markets. They are the operational powerhouse ensuring that Coca-Cola products reach store shelves and restaurants across their vast territories, especially downtown.
Photos courtesy LA Mayor’s Office
Anyone driving past the Coca-Cola Building on Central Ave and Olympic in Downtown Los Angeles is likely to do a double-take. Around 1936, Architect Robert V. Derrah was famously hired to consolidate several existing plant buildings into one unified structure. When he was finished he masked the structure within a facade designed to look exactly like an ocean liner, Streamline Moderne architectural style complete with porthole windows, a ship’s bridge, and nautical-themed interiors. It was, and still is, a fully operational Coca-Cola bottling plant, earning it Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument status in 1975.
AI touch up of 1930s photo by DT Weekly
As the last bottling facility in the city, this site is an industrial anchor and a true architectural gem. Now, this gem will be getting some added shine in the form of a $48 million revitalization project in time for the 2028 Olympic Games.
With Los Angeles set to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling is ensuring the site remains both an efficient manufacturing hub and a premier local event space.
Photos courtesy LA Mayor’s Office
The plans include a full restoration of the building’s historic exterior, alongside internal modernizations. A new rooftop deck and an overhauled patio are also part of the plan, positioning the building to host high-profile gatherings during the Games.
“Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling’s investment is exactly the kind of partnership Downtown Los Angeles needs, one that honors our industrial legacy, sustains good union jobs, and drives new economic opportunity,” said Councilmember Ysabel Jurado. “It reflects the momentum and boundless potential of our City’s core, and our shared commitment to building a Los Angeles as resilient and determined as the people who power it.”
Mayor Karen Bass joined the company to mark the start of the project, underscoring its importance to the city highlighted the investment as a significant contribution to Downtown LA’s ongoing revitalization efforts.
“Los Angeles is an economic engine, connecting local businesses to the rest of the country and the world,” said Mayor Bass. “Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling has decided to renew and expand on their investment in our city, continuing to support good paying jobs for Angelenos and playing an integral role in Downtown LA – another signal that Los Angeles is open for business.”
The $47.5 million revitalization project for the historic Coca-Cola Building in Downtown Los Angeles is an investment coming directly from Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling.
As a major, privately held bottling and distribution partner, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling is funding the project as part of their long-term strategy. This investment is an example of a private company putting significant capital into one of its key operational and historic facilities to modernize it and ensure its viability as a vital part of their manufacturing and distribution network for years to come.
David Carey, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling Market Unit President, expressed pride in the commitment, noting that this project demonstrates “confidence in our continued mutual success.” The revitalization ensures that as Downtown LA evolves, its industrial legacy—represented by its magnificent “Ship”—will remain resilient and determined. www.reyescocacola.com
