SNEAK PEEK: Exclusive look inside Coca-Cola UNITED’s new $330M Birmingham campus

Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher

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Modern glass Coca-Cola facility with curved vertical fin facade, seen at sunrise across an empty parking lot
Coca-Cola UNITED’s brand new Birmingham headquarters will open on September 14, 2026. (Coca-Cola UNITED)

In June 2024, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED Inc. (UNITED) broke ground on a new headquarters in Birmingham’s Kingston community. Now, a little over two years later, the nearly 125-year-old company is preparing to move into its $330 million, state-of-the-art facility.

Join us for an exclusive sneak peek inside Coca-Cola UNITED’s new Birmingham headquarters.

About Coca-Cola UNITED’s new Birmingham campus

Headquartered in Birmingham, Coca-Cola UNITED is the second-largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America and the third-largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S. The company has operated from its East Lake Boulevard facility since 1979, but its growth created a need for a new headquarters.

Located on the former Stockham Valves and Fittings site in Kingston, the new campus will be highly visible from I-20/59 and bring multiple departments under one roof, including:

  • Coca-Cola UNITED’s Corporate, Central Region + North Alabama Division headquarters
  • Birmingham Coca-Cola sales center + warehouse
  • Classic Food + Vending
  • Customer solutions center + services department

The $330 million campus is expected to create up to 50 new jobs, in addition to the more than 750 people Coca-Cola UNITED employs in the Magic City.

The first floor tells Coca-Cola UNITED’s history + commitment to the Birmingham community

Office lobby lounge with red swivel chairs and white curved sofas, a large wall mural showing a regional map with city locations over a skyline photo, and a wood-paneled wall reading Quality, Excellence, Integrity, Respect with a display case and award plaque
In the lobby, an exhibit pays tribute to the Magic City with an image of Vulcan overlooking a map highlighting Coca-Cola UNITED’s 50+ facilities across the Southeast. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

From the moment you step inside, the headquarters celebrates Coca-Cola UNITED’s history and its connection to Birmingham.

Exhibits along the first-floor hallway trace Coca-Cola UNITED’s story back to 1902, when Crawford Johnson, Sr. began distributing Coca-Cola in Birmingham with his first associate, Sam Whitt, and a bright red wagon pulled by a mule named Bird.

Today, Coca-Cola UNITED employs more than 10,000 associates across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

  • Wood-paneled lobby wall displaying vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia, photos, and signs, with a screen reading "Delicious and Refreshing for Over 125 Years," describing the 1902 founding of Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED by Crawford Johnson, Sr. in Birmingham, Alabama
    An exhibit pays tribute to Coca-Cola UNITED’s history in Birmingham, starting in 1902. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
  • Museum exhibit of a red wooden Coca-Cola delivery wagon loaded with bottle crates, with a plaque titled "A Mule named BIRD" showing a historic photo of a mule-drawn Coca-Cola delivery cart and text describing how in 1902 a mule named Bird, dressed in fancy harness pulling a red wagon, became a familiar sight delivering Coca-Cola on the streets of Birmingham until her retirement in 1914
    A re-creation of the company’s first mule-drawn wagon sits as the centerpiece of the first floor, a nod to the company’s humble beginnings. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Photos, banners, murals and other artwork throughout the building highlight Coca-Cola UNITED’s connection to Birmingham and its regional partners. The employee dining area, for example, features a mural by a local college student showcasing the Coca-Cola truck alongside Birmingham landmarks including Sloss Furnaces, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Alabama Theatre and Vulcan.

  • Cafeteria with red booth seating and tables, decorated with Coca-Cola signage and a Birmingham skyline mural on the wall
    The employee dining area features a mural designed by a local college student. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
  • Banners of Birmingham landmarks hanging in a row: the Zoo, Sloss Furnaces, Vulcan statue, BJCC, and Protective Stadium
    Banners honor regional partners like the Birmingham Zoo, Sloss Furnaces, Vulcan Park, the BJCC and Protective Stadium. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The second floor puts Coca-Cola UNITED’s people + progress on display

Multi-story office atrium with glass railings, open floors, and vintage Coca-Cola signage displayed on a lower level wall
If the first floor is all about Coca-Cola UNITED’s roots, the second floor gives a glimpse into the people and ideas driving the company forward. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

One of the first things visitors will notice on the second floor are employee meeting rooms themed around Coca-Cola brands like Fanta, Minute Maid Lemonade and Diet Coke. In the mezzanine, another piece of the building’s history is on display—a construction beam signed by the people who helped build the headquarters serves as another piece of its history.

  • Conference room with a gallery wall of Sprite-branded artwork and a wooden table with gray chairs
    Each of the meeting spaces on the second floor have a Coca-Cola-inspired theme, like this Sprite-branded meeting room. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
  • Red steel construction beam covered in worker signatures, displayed on a stand, with Coca-Cola, Design Group, and Brasfield & Gorrie logos, in a lobby with a framed Coca-Cola poster on the wall
    This steel beam was signed by every person that had a hand in the construction of Coca-Cola UNITED’s new facility. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The second floor is also home to several exhibits, including a tribute to the site’s history as the Stockham Valves and Fittings complex and a display dedicated to Coca-Cola UNITED’s commitment to sustainability, from packaging and recycling initiatives at events like the Magic City Classic to projects like the “Litter Gitter” with partners like the Osprey Initiative.

Warehouse aisle with stacked pallets of soft drinks on multi-level racking and a forklift moving down the center
Elevated view of a large warehouse with rows of automated conveyor belts, palletized goods, and overhead ductwork and lighting
Large distribution warehouse with tall stacks of shrink-wrapped beverage pallets, conveyor lines, and a forklift moving through the aisle
The second floor viewing platform offers the best view of the distribution warehouse. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

That’s not all, folks—the second floor also features a viewing platform overlooking the Coca-Cola UNITED packaging and distribution warehouse. The facility won’t manufacture or bottle Coca-Cola products; instead, the warehouse will handle packaging and distribution to Coca-Cola UNITED customers.

The third floor features executive suites + unbeatable views

Lounge area with sofas and chairs, walls displaying a mule painting and portraits of past company leaders on wood paneling
Modern office atrium with a vintage "Delicious and Refreshing, Drink Coca-Cola, At Fountains, In Bottles" mural on an upper-level wall, surrounded by glass railings, seating areas, and framed artwork
Boardroom with tiered circular pendant lights and wood paneling, featuring a wall grid of black-and-white city photos and a red Coca-Cola print
Executive meeting rooms, offices and artwork honoring the company’s leadership legacy can be found on the third floor. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The third floor houses Coca-Cola UNITED’s executive suites, including the building’s grandest themed meeting space: the Coca-Cola meeting room. Artwork throughout the area honors the company’s leadership legacy, including a nod to Bird the Mule.

Lobby with a spiral metal staircase above a curved red sofa, table, and chairs, wall covered in colorful dot artwork
A multi-color art installation made from bottle caps stretches from the first floor all the way to the tippy top. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

One of the building’s most eye-catching installations is the “Fizz Wall,” which stretches from the first floor to the third. Made from more than 9,600 bottle caps, it transitions from red at the bottom—reflecting Coca-Cola’s early days as the company’s sole product—to a rainbow of colors representing the more than 750 beverage choices offered by Coca-Cola UNITED today, including soft drinks, water, sports drinks, teas, coffees and juices.

Aerial view of a bottle-shaped plaza with the Coca-Cola logo, lined with red curved trim, flagpoles, and landscaped gardens
From an approaching airplane, the campus’ Coca-Cola branding becomes part of the Magic City skyline: the giant contoured Coca-Cola bottle seen from the plane’s right-hand side, while the Coca-Cola Amphitheater can be seen from the left. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

But the real showstopper on the third floor might be the view. Looking over the front of campus, visitors can see a giant outline of Coca-Cola’s iconic contoured glass, created with white pavers and red accents in the parking area. Designed to be viewed from above, the branding is even visible to passengers flying into Birmingham.

Coca-Cola UNITED’s new campus opens September 14, 2026

Large red Coca-Cola script logo mounted on a wooden fence outdoors, with young trees and blue sky
The sign at the entrance to Coca-Cola UNITED’s new campus. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

From humble beginnings with a mule named Bird to a state-of-the-art headquarters visible from the skies above Birmingham, Coca-Cola UNITED’s new campus is a celebration of where UNITED came from and where it’s headed. Stay tuned to Bham Now to learn more as Coca-Cola UNITED’s new Birmingham campus takes shape.

What is your favorite part of Coca-Cola UNITED’s new campus? Tag them @cocacolaunited to let them know + visit the website to learn more about the move.

Sponsored by:

Coke UNITED

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Nathan Watson
Nathan Watson

Senior Content Producer + Photographer at Bham Now | nathan@bhamnow.com

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