In May, G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Inc. proudly marked a major milestone—its 100th anniversary—with a month full of celebration, reflection, and recognition. Founded in 1925 when two bold women, Nell Gross and Esther Jarson, convinced their then-boyfriends to buy the Grand Pop Bottling Company, G&J Pepsi has grown into the nation’s largest wholly owned independent Pepsi bottler.
To commemorate the centennial, G&J Pepsi received a cascade of commendations and well-wishes from leaders across Ohio and beyond. Governor Mike DeWine and U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno offered congratulations, as did nine Ohio cities where G&J Pepsi has longstanding operations: Athens, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Columbus, Hamilton, Portsmouth, Ripley, Wilmington, and Zanesville.
These cities have played a key role in the company’s rich history of growth. From opening its Columbus facility in the 1960s—an event so noteworthy it attracted screen legend Joan Crawford—to its recent expansion in that same city with high-tech blow mold and AI-enabled warehouse facilities, G&J Pepsi has always had its eyes on innovation and community impact.
Today, G&J Pepsi employs nearly 1,900 team members and serves more than 5 million consumers, selling over 650 products to major national retailers like Kroger, Walmart, and Dollar General. The company has also been a leader in sustainability, recycling over 3,500 tons of material annually in Columbus and pioneering Pepsi’s corporate water efficiency tools at its Franklin Furnace facility.
Now operating across twelve distribution and production centers in Ohio and Kentucky, G&J Pepsi remains a family-led company, with third- and fourth-generation members of the Gross and Jarson families actively involved.
As G&J Pepsi embarks on its next 100 years, the centennial celebration is a tribute not only to its founders’ vision but to the hardworking employees and loyal communities that have fueled its success decade after decade.
