Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Oklahoma City, has signed an agreement to be acquired by The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, for approximately $360 million.

Showcased in Admiral Beverage Corporation’s Worland, Wyo., production facility is a banner with a quote from famed news anchor Tom Brokaw: “It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” Nevertheless, the latter is what Admiral Beverage constantly is trying to do. With its headquarters situated in a town of just more than 5,000 people, a sense of community is engrained in the company’s roots — along with a passion for its business.

Being a trendsetter isn’t always ideal. You’re often the “guinea pig,” which could be a good thing or a bad thing. For Admiral Beverage Corporation, it’s a good thing. The company was one of the first bottlers in the country to install injection molding machines, it says. After introducing blow molding lines to both of its production facilities a few years ago, injection molding has enabled the business to become even more vertically integrated.

 With six manufacturing facilities and 22 distribution operations across eight states, Raleigh, N.C.-based Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV) has a lot from which to take inspiration.