Soft drink bottlers can help you take an idea and make it into an actual product. They have teams of experts that cover the whole process of bottling beverages. From the conception of an idea to the research and development to the packaging of a product, bottlers can be the key to success for any soft drink company.

Soda bottlers often have the appropriate equipment and knowledge to bottle more than just soda. Whether you produce dairy beverages or nutritional products, soda bottlers can likely be helpful to you too. Take the following into consideration when working with soft drink bottlers:

1. Be familiar with the ingredients that you want, or don't want, soft drink bottlers to use in your products.

2. Be sure you know about what the different processing methods are that beverage bottlers use.

3. Know that there are numerous beverage bottling companies that can help you to make the most out of your product line.

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Know the ingredients that you do and don't want a soft drink manufacturer to use in your products

If there is a certain claim or nutritional profile that you need to meet for your product's or company's standards, be sure you know everything the soft drink bottler is going to use in your product. You are well within your rights as a customer to ask for a complete listing of exactly what ingredients are to go into your product.

I recommend: American Beverage Association outlines what is included in a typical soft drink. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has specific guidelines for health claims depending on the type of product.

Familiarize yourself with the processing methods that soda bottling companies use

Depending on the type of products you sell, the processing methods may vary to meet the needs of your product. The nature of your product is important to the method that can be used to process and package the beverage. It is important to know the difference in processing methods that your soft drink bottler uses to ensure the integrity of your product will not be compromised. For example, hot filling is used to process and fill beverages into bottles and other beverage packaging. This process can only be used for beverages and packages that can withstand the extreme heat. Aseptic processing is primarily used for natural and chilled products, as they are processed in a sterile environment that allows for a longer shelf life without the use of preservatives.

I recommend: Millipore walks through the different steps of beverage processing. FoodProcessing.com discusses aseptic food and beverage processing.

Choose soft drink bottlers that meet the needs of your company

It is important to do your research and determine which beverage bottler is best equipped to handle your specific product line. Some drink bottling companies will be more familiar with colors, flavors and carbonation, while if you are using fruit juice, for example, in your product you may want to find a bottling company that is most familiar with the processing and packaging of a product that contains fruit juice.

I recommend: Southeast Atlantic Beverage manufacturers waters, carbonated and noncarbonated beverages. General Beverages specializes in the manufacturing of colas.

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• •  Soft drink bottlers can also help you with the labeling process. This part of the development may need to be a collaborative effort between your company and theirs to ensure all of the claims are being met and the regulations are being followed, but it may be a smoother process if this part is done together.

Most businesses, whether they be the local grocery store, a mom and pop store or even a video store, typically use mainstream beverage bottling distributors. Successful businesses, especially, advertise the logo of one of the major soft drink manufacturers on their storefront windows.

Some lucrative businesses also shelf a variety of specialty soft drink bottlers to appeal to the diverse drinking public. Cooperating with more than one distributor is not uncommon. Other companies customize their own products, which can give them a profitable edge. Businesses who use custom beverage bottling often stand out in the market. When exploring the variety of soft drink bottlers available, consider the following:

1. Do business with successful soda bottling distributors.

2. Collaborate with other soda bottler distributors to option more products.

3. Create your own specialty soft drinks.

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Buy soft drinks from leading soda bottling companies

If you're just starting out and want a surefire seller for your business, consider purchasing from major soft drink bottlers such as Coke and Pepsi. Customers will recognize the products, and you can be confident you're working with a soda bottler that knows the ropes.

I recommend: Coca-Cola Enterprises offers the obvious soft drinks, like Coke and Sprite, but the soft drink bottler has also recently added vitamin water and Campbells V8 products. The Pepsi Bottling Group has also extended its product reach to include such soft drinks as SoBe and Starbucks.

Consider specialty soft drink bottlers

As customers become more and more health conscious, it's important to offer them soft drink alternatives such as natural or organic sodas. Depending on the location of your business, these may even sell better than traditional soft drinks.

I recommend: Zevia has a line of natural soft drinks that includes cola, ginger root beer and orange. Check out Java Pop for a unique alternative to traditional soft drinks. Made from the finest organic ingredients, the drink comes in five different flavors.

Explore custom beverage bottling

If you have your own brand of soft drink or other beverage you'd like to bottle and market in your business, seek out custom beverage bottlers. Many even provide turn key solutions to help you create a beverage from start to finish.

I recommend: Toddy Beverage Bottling has been in the custom beverage bottling business since 1964 and has worked with such companies as Godiva, Sara Lee, TCBY Yogurt and others. Amfotek can help you all kinds of custom beverages, from smoothies to teas.

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• •  Keep track of what's selling and what's not to determine which products from beverage bottlers you should continue to offer and which you should switch out. Also ask loyal customers what they like and don't like about certain brands and products.

There are many reasons why businesses want to establish a relationship with soft drink bottlers. Retail stores want to sell well-known soft drinks on their shelves, office buildings want to provide beverages for their employees, and food and beverage companies want bottlers to bottle their new products. Whatever your need for beverage bottlers, there are a few things you should know about making the most of soft drink bottlers.

Purchasing products from a soft drink company can be done in a variety of ways but often requires little interaction between businesses. However, if you are looking for a company to do custom beverage bottling, you want to make sure you are choosing the right company for you and your products. Consider the following when choosing a soft drink manufacturer:

1. Certain soda bottling brands will enhance your retail inventory.

2. A drink bottling company can fit the needs for your new product line.

3. Speciality soda can motivate your employees.

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Choose a well-known pop bottler to help stock your shelves with popular brands

Consumers thrive on familiarity. Stocking your shelves with soda brands that your customers have a history with will not only mean revenue for your store but will help breed loyal customers. Striking an ongoing deal with a soda bottler will help with repeat customers and likely a price break on large orders from the company. Be sure to talk to your bottler about any exclusivity rules they may have.

I recommend: Pepsi Bottling Group is a national leader in bottled beverages. Jones Pure Cane Soda is another soda bottler with a familiar face.

Find a drink bottling company that is equipped to bottle your new product line

You may or may not have thought of what your new product line is going to consist of. Most bottling companies also come equipped with a research and development team that can help you get an idea of an actual product. It is important to look into what several bottling companies offer, as some will be better suited for your specific type of product. Some will be more familiar with carbonated sodas, while other beverage bottlers will have specific skills that will apply more to nutritional beverages.

I recommend: Toddy Beverage Bottling can help manufacture smaller scale beverage bottling runs. Florida Natural Flavors bottles both private label and custom beverages.

Offer specialty soda from soda bottlers to your employees

Employees may bring popular brand sodas to work from home, but give them another option as a motivation incentive. Offering employees sodas that they wouldn't necessarily purchase themselves will create curiosity and appreciation for their workplace. Step outside the box and show your employees you are up with new products on the market.

I recommend: Try Blue Sky Soda's natural tea soda or organic sodas. Or maybe Fizzy Lizzy brand beverages that consist of fruit juice and sparkling water would be a good addition to your workplace.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Soda bottlers often only have room to manufacture a certain number of products at a time and may choose those companies that provide them with the most business as their first priorities. Consider manufacturing several of your products -- if not the whole line -- at one place so the bottler is more loyal to your company.

With the many different types of processing methods and ingredients, it is key to keep up with soft drink bottlers key terms. Whether your product is processed aseptically or hot filled, it's important for you to know all of the steps. It is equally important to know exactly what is being added to your soft drinks. Ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and phosphoric acid are traditional soft drink ingredients, but it is essential that you know how each one of these ingredients can affect your finished product.

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Hot filling

Hot filling is the process in which extreme heat is used to sterilize, fill and package some soft drinks. This method can be used only on products and packages that can withstand the high temperature.

I recommend: Sidel explains its plastic bottles that are specifically made to be used for hot-filled products.

Aseptic processing

Aseptic processing is done in a sterile room without the use of preservatives to allow natural and chilled beverages to get the longest shelf life possible. A flash-heat process is used in order to keep as many nutrients as possible in tact as opposed to other sterilization processes.

I recommend: FoodProcessing.com explains how some simple reformulations can allow you to use a different processing method.

Carbonated water

Carbonated water is the base of soft drinks and is high in carbon dioxide, which creates the bubbling effect. It can be flavored or consumed on its own.

I recommend: Practically Edible outlines some of the specifics about carbonated water.

High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used as a sweetener in most regular soft drinks. It is created when the glucose in corn starch is converted to fructose.

I recommend: The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research addresses some controversial discussion around the use of HFCS.

Phosphoric acid

Phosphoric acid acts as both a preservative and a flavoring in soft drinks. Phosphoric acid contributes to the tangy taste in sodas. Phosphoric acid is used in many other types of applications, but a food-grade variety is produced for use in soft drinks.

I recommend: The Family Education Network discusses the importance of moderation in the consumption of phosphoric acid.

Natural soda

Natural soda has much of the same appeal as regular soft drinks, but with more health-friendly ingredients. Sometimes natural soda bottlers even use organic ingredients.

I recommend: GreenYour explains some of the benefits of drinking natural sodas.