ACADIANA BOTTLING COMPANY

At the age of 12, Alvin Smith began sweeping and sorting bottles at the Seven-Up plant in Jennings, Louisiana. In 1950, he moved his young family to Lafayette where he became an equity partner in a joint venture with Seven-Up Bottling Company of Jennings, and manager of the Lafayette facility, which was running only two routes at the time. This partnership was converted to a corporation in 1955, with Alvin as one-half owner. By 1958, Mr. Smith was sole-owner and began to expand and grow the company with acquisitions of the Seven-Up Bottling Company of New Iberia, the Pepsi plant in Franklin in 1969, and the Dr Pepper Plant in Lafayette in 1975. Because of the newly diverse range of soft drink products, he decided to re-brand his company as Acadiana Bottling Company, Inc. In 1999, he sold his company to his son, Dennis Smith, who continues to run the company today. The business moved to its current location in Youngsville in 2013. Today, Acadiana Bottling employs approximately 150..

Also known as: Acadiana Bottling, Acadiana Bottling Company, Inc.

Primary location: Broussard United States