After more than 100 years of turning out bubbly beverages in Ventura, Reyes Coca‑Cola Bottling is set to shut down its local bottling plant on Friday, July 10, a move that affects roughly 85 workers and closes the book on a long chapter of soda production in the city. The company says it will shift Ventura operations to other Southern California facilities and that most of the affected staff will be reassigned or can apply for open roles elsewhere.
That July timeline and the headcount come from a state WARN filing, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reports that initial notices were submitted last Friday. The filing lists 85 employees as affected and shows that 78 of those workers are expected to be reassigned to other facilities.
What the state filing requires
Under California’s WARN law, covered employers have to give at least 60 days’ notice before a plant closing or mass layoff, and they must alert the Employment Development Department and local officials. That notice triggers state and local worker services, including Rapid Response assistance. The state’s WARN guidance lays out how employers file those notices and how local workforce boards step in with rehiring and training support for affected staff, including Rapid Response teams and other job-search resources.
Company response
A Reyes Coca‑Cola Bottling spokesperson told SFGATE via email that the company “regularly assess[es] our locations, products and services to ensure we can continue driving sustainable growth and innovation across our business.” The spokesperson confirmed July 10 as the last day of operations in Ventura and said production and distribution work from the site will be transferred to other Southern California facilities.
Impact on workers
Both the WARN filing and company statements indicate that most of the 85 people who work at the Ventura site will be offered reassignment, with 78 slated to move into roles at other locations. The remaining employees are expected to be able to apply for open positions within the broader Reyes network. Under state guidance, employers that file WARN notices also have to outline how they will coordinate with local agencies to support affected workers.
A string of recent closures
The Ventura shutdown is the latest in a series of consolidations for the company. Reyes closed its Salinas distribution site last year, and a Bay Area plant in American Canyon was shut down earlier, moves that local outlets documented in coverage of those previous WARN filings. In those communities, local leaders and community groups have been weighing ways to repurpose the industrial properties left behind by the closures.
Who runs Reyes Coca‑Cola
Reyes Coca‑Cola Bottling operates under the umbrella of Reyes Holdings, a private distribution and foodservice company that entered the Coca‑Cola system in 2015 and later folded its Coca‑Cola operations into a single business unit in 2022, according to the company’s history page. The company now runs multiple manufacturing and distribution centers across California and other states.
Where workers can get help
Workers affected by the Ventura closure can expect outreach from their Local Workforce Development Area once the WARN filing is fully processed. The California Employment Development Department’s WARN page lists Rapid Response services along with retraining and job-placement support that are available to impacted employees. Local job centers and the EDD are the main points of contact for benefits, training opportunities and job-search assistance after a WARN notice is filed.
