Getting to the Gemba with G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers

Founded by two exceptional women, Nell Gross and Esther Jarson, G&J Pepsi is the largest family-owned and operated Pepsi franchise bottler. In 11 locations across Ohio and Kentucky, G&J Pepsi is a market leader, offering Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, Tropicana Fruit Beverages, Starbuck’s Frappuccinos and more.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, the company has ~1,600 employees working to serve the five million consumers in its market, spanning from central Ohio to Kentucky and over to West Virginia.

Brian Balzer, Executive VP of Digital Technology and Business Transformation is proud to be part of G&J Pepsi, and the communities it serves: “We are in the heart of blue-collar America in what we call ‘the bible belt’, an area of farmers, miners, manufacturers - hardworking Americans. We have some of the highest share markets in the country and the number one Mountain Dew market in the world. And I have got to tell you, this is Pepsi country!”

Not only is the community dedicated to G&J Pepsi and its products, but the company itself looks for ways to give back to those that have supported them and made them so successful. Balzer comments: “G&J Pepsi is a hard-working team that is deeply involved in our local communities. A couple of our slogans are “National Brands, Local Products” and “Nationally Great, Locally Even Better”, and we live by them. We invest in our local communities, volunteer here and are committed to supporting those around us. We donate thousands of hours and products to our local communities to support those around us in need every single year. It’s a huge part of who we are and why our communities support G&J Pepsi. It’s also why we have such long-tenured employees, where it’s not uncommon to celebrate people who have worked with us for 30, 35, and 40+ years.”

Working in the business and technology development section of the company, Balzer is responsible for strategically guiding the direction of the company and leading the transformation to outpace G&J Pepsi’s competitors. The executive also looks at ways technology can provide the best tools for the company’s workforce and bring real benefits to its customers - all of which is part of Balzer’s role leading G&J Pepsi’s transformation journey.

“The pace of technology change continues to escalate. Unfortunately, this pace of change will never be slower than it is today, and it’s our job to navigate that and bring to life those developments that will impact our business partners in the best way,” explains Balzer.

“Using technology advancements and innovation has been a critical component of our transformation. We use technology as a competitive advantage in the marketplace and measure ourselves against peers and competitors,” he adds.

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