Regional Bottlers Win Industry Honor for Community Work
Independent bottlers should note that the Kendall award weighs community involvement alongside business results and operational excellence.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Flagstaff-based Nackard Pepsi received the 2025 Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the Year award, which recognizes the top independent Pepsi-Cola bottler in the United States and Canada. The company, which won the same award in 2002, was a finalist for three consecutive years, the first bottler to achieve that distinction.
Why it matters
The award weighs business results, operational excellence, employee engagement and community involvement, signaling how independent bottlers are judged on more than sales alone. For regional operators, it illustrates how a locally rooted distributor can compete at a national benchmark while staying tied to its home market.
Nackard Pepsi serves approximately 3,000 customers across approximately 41,000 square miles of Northern and Eastern Arizona, and supports more than 450 philanthropic causes annually. The award is drawn from roughly 80 bottlers across North America, and the company has been a finalist for three consecutive years.
The players
Nackard Pepsi
A Flagstaff, Arizona-based independent Pepsi-Cola bottler founded more than 80 years ago that distributes to schools, businesses, entertainment venues and retailers across Northern and Eastern Arizona.
Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the Year award
A PepsiCo-associated industry honor recognizing the top independent Pepsi-Cola bottler in the United States and Canada.
The details
The Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the Year award evaluates independent Pepsi-Cola bottlers on business results, operational excellence, employee engagement and community involvement. Nackard Pepsi, founded more than 80 years ago, serves schools, businesses, entertainment venues and retailers throughout Northern and Eastern Arizona. Palmer Nackard, the company's president and grandson of founders Fred Nackard and Monica Nackard, traveled to New York to accept the award.
Timeline
2002: Nackard Pepsi won the Bottler of the Year award for the first time.
2025: Nackard Pepsi received the 2025 Bottler of the Year award.
Market Landscape
The award places Nackard Pepsi among roughly 80 North American bottlers competing on a standard that includes community involvement alongside financial performance. Its repeat recognition, following a 2002 win and three consecutive finalist years, shows a regional independent holding its position against larger bottling operations.
Operators of regional distribution businesses should note that community involvement is weighed alongside financial results in industry recognition. Companies in similar positions may consider documenting philanthropic activity and employee engagement as part of their performance records.
The takeaway
Industry honors increasingly reward operators who pair operational results with community investment, so tracking both in company records can strengthen a business's competitive profile. Regional operators should watch how the Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the Year criteria evolve in future award cycles.
Further reading
For more on how regional companies give back, see Philanthropy coverage across Flagstaff and the wider Arizona business community.
Source note: This article includes information reported by AZ Big Media.
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