The Coca-Cola Company has announced continued progress in its refranchising programme of North American bottling operations.

It signed letters of intent as part of its ongoing implementation of a 21st century beverage partnership model, an initiative to sustain success in North America.

The Coca-Cola system has added a new bottler, which is led by Ulysses Junior Bridgeman, founder of a Louisville-based Manna.

Bridgeman has signed a letter of intent to acquire territory from the Coca-Cola Company in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and Nebraska. He will also acquire a production facility in Lenexa, Kansas.

"We continue to make great progress in refranchising, and these agreements show that our partners are strongly interested in expanding."

The new bottling company will become the third independent Coca-Cola bottler in recent decades, with the others being Great Lakes Coca-Cola Distribution and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida.

In addition, Coca-Cola of Northern New England (CCNNE) has signed a letter of intent to acquire additional territory from The Coca-Cola Company.

A part of the Coca-Cola system since 1977, CCNNE will acquire territory throughout New England, including Boston, Providence and Hartford.

CCNNE will also obtain production facilities in Needham Heights and Hartford.

Based in Corinth, Missouri, Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Works will gain additional territory in Missouri and Arkansas, while Colorado’s Coca-Cola of Durango-Farmington intends to acquire territory in Gallup, New Mexico.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida will purchase production facilities in the cities of Hollywood, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, and Illinois-based Great Lakes Coca-Cola Distribution will buy production facilities in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.

Coca-Cola North America president J Alexander ‘Sandy’ Douglas Jr said: "We continue to make great progress in refranchising, and these agreements show that our partners are strongly interested in expanding.

"These bottlers are investing in the future of the Coca-Cola system."

The company previously announced that it will refranchise all North American territories by the end of next year.

It also signed a definitive agreement with Swire Coca-Cola USA, a subsidiary of Swire Pacific’s beverages division, to acquire territory in Albuquerque, New Mexico.