 Brewer/bottler #1204 | | | Name | Seven-up Bottling Co. (West Bend, WI) |
| | | | | | | | | Extra info | The story of this family business began in 1945 when Doug Kieckhafer's grandfather, Albert and his uncles, Clarence and William, purchased The West Bend Bottling Company. The company, which had been in existence since 1892, manufactured soda pop at the time. In 1950, the firm produced five flavors, including orange, cream, grape, cherry and root beer, in both 7 and 24 oz. bottles, turning out approximately 90 cases of pop every hour.
After graduation from West Bend West High School in 1971, Doug worked four summers at the family business while completing college at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. After completing his college degree, he made the decision to return to West Bend. It wasn’t long before he took over the management reins. At the time, the company was producing the soda as well as distributing it. However, when the market shifted from returnable bottles to aluminum cans, the technological demands to make the production shift to cans, proved to be more of an investment than the company was able to make. By 1992, the actual production of soda was stopped and the firm shifted to a distribution-only facility. Today, all of the bottling is done at a huge facility in Northlake, Illinois.
This shift to mass production has left the West Bend plant as one of the three family owned 7-Up distributors remaining in the state. “Part of our success is the fact that we are an old-fashioned company,” Doug explained. “Bigger is not always better. As long as we can turn a profit and have fun in the process – we’ll be in business.”
Today, the firm has 13 employees and distributes a combination of 175 packages and flavors throughout Washington and Ozaukee Counties. In addition to 7-Up soda, distribution includes A&W, All-Sport, Canada Dry, Deja Blue, Dr. Pepper, Fiji Water, Hawaiian Punch, Sunkist, Sunny D, and Vita-Coco drinks. |
| | | | | | | Other names used for this Brewer/bottler | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|