Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company earns Business. Well Crafted. Legacy Award
The City of Hickory proudly presented the Business. Well Crafted. Legacy Award to Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Hickory on Wednesday, April 15. Business Development Director Dave Leonetti presented the award on behalf of the City’s Business Development Committee (BDC), recognizing Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company for over 100 years of business.
Pepsi‑Cola Bottling Company of Hickory is a fourth‑generation, family‑owned distributor of soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks serving 17 counties across western North Carolina—from Hickory to Murphy. With more than a century of continuous operation, the company has built its legacy on innovation, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to the customers and communities it serves.
The company’s story began in 1925, when Lee P. Frans—then a young secretary at R.J. Reynolds in Winston‑Salem—made the life‑changing decision to move his family to Hickory and acquire the local Orange Crush bottling operation. From its humble start with three route trucks, the business steadily grew, prompting the construction of a new plant in 1931 on the very site of the company’s current home office.
A turning point came in 1936 when Joe “Uncle Joe” Lepedias convinced Frans to consider a rising new beverage: Pepsi‑Cola, then sold in an unprecedented 12‑ounce bottle. After traveling to New York to witness its popularity firsthand, Frans embraced the opportunity. Pepsi was officially introduced to Hickory in 1937, and demand quickly soared from 20,000 cases in the first year to more than 100,000 cases by 1940. This rapid growth led to expanded routes, new equipment, and the company’s first dedicated sales manager, Van Teague.
Through wartime sugar rationing, generational transitions, and major expansions—including the addition of Spruce Pine in 1950, Asheville in 1968, and Bryson City in 1999—the company continued to evolve. Today, Pepsi‑Cola Bottling Company of Hickory spans 18 counties and remains guided by the same entrepreneurial spirit and family values established by its founders over 100 years ago.
As the business has grown, so has its dedication to the people who make that growth possible. The company is committed to cultivating a strong, diverse workforce and fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered. Its long‑standing profit‑sharing program reflects a deep belief that success should be shared, and that employees deserve to benefit from the legacy they help build every day.
Equally central to its mission is community partnership. Pepsi‑Cola Bottling Company of Hickory invests generously in local organizations, charities, and community initiatives across western North Carolina—extending its impact far beyond its products and operations.
With deep regional roots, a proud multigenerational workforce, and a history built on service and innovation, the company looks to the future with optimism. A century of dedication to people, community, and progress continues to guide its path forward into the next hundred years.
The City of Hickory and the Business Development Committee congratulate Pepsi‑Cola Bottling Company of Hickory on this remarkable milestone and express deep appreciation for the company’s enduring contributions to Hickory’s growth, vitality, and prosperity over the past century.
To learn more about Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Hickory, visit www.pepsihky.com.
For more information about the Business Development Committee and its Business. Well Crafted. Awards, please contact Dave Leonetti at 828-261-2227 or via email at dleonetti@hickorync.gov.