Leadership
In March of 1920, Edwin C. Rice, Sr. and his family moved from Kentucky to Springfield to purchase Electric Bottling Company/Farmer’s Beverages. Electric’s principal product line was seltzer and Farmer’s Beverages, a soft drink line that included Orange, Grape, Root Beer, Lemon, Peach, Ginger Ale, and Strawberry flavors. Coca-Cola was just a small portion of the Rice family’s business at that time.
The Rice family is one of the original bottlers that entered into an agreement for exclusive franchise rights with the Coca-Cola Company in 1921 and the business was renamed Springfield Coca-Cola. Always a family-owned business, Mr. Rice, Sr., and his brothers operated the business and in 1939, Mr. Edward E. Heer came on board as sales manager. Mr. Heer was married to Virginia “Tookie” Rice-Heer until his death in 1985. Tookie then assumed the vice presidency of the company, which was renamed Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company on February 23, 1987.
In 1953, Edwin C. “Cookie” Rice joined the family business and served as Chief Executive Officer until May of 2023 when Bruce Long was named President and Chief Executive Officer. Long is the fifth to lead the company since it was founded in 1921 and the first non-family member to fill this role.
Expansions
Springfield Coca-Cola was originally on West Commercial Street. In 1934, the company moved to the corner of Clay and Central, now part of the Drury campus.
In 1977, the company moved to its current location on 1777 North Packer Road. Over the next few years, the Rice family acquired territory in Rolla and Bolivar.
In 1987, Ozarks Coca-Cola became a Dr Pepper franchise in addition to their Coca-Cola products.
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper expanded in 2015 with the acquisition of Joplin and West Plains territories from The Coca-Cola Company. In 2017, the Northwest Arkansas territory was added, further solidifying the company as a major regional provider of refreshing beverages.
In 2020, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company celebrated 100 years of family ownership. Also, that year, a second bottling line was added in Springfield and construction began on a new 435,000-square-foot distribution center.
In 2025, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper completed a 67,750-square-foot can line manufacturing facility and a 47,625-square-feet meeting and office space. The organization also celebrated their 105th anniversary.
The Rice and Heer families continue to share ownership of Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company. Today, the company distributes over 650 Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper products and employs close to 900 associates in the Ozarks region who provide sales, warehousing and distribution, manufacturing and production, equipment services, and support.
The Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company, along with the Rice and Heer families, are dedicated to upholding the exceptional standards of customer service associated with the Ozarks Coca-Cola brand and to strengthen the communities they serve.
