There’s a question Pam Stewart has consistently fielded from friends and family in recent years when it comes to her work at Coca-Cola: When is Costco’s iconic $1.50 hot dog combo going to include Coke again? Stewart, who is chief customer officer for retail within Coca-Cola’s North America Operating Unit, answered that question this year by winning back Costco pouring rights from PepsiCo after a dozen years. “I finally get an A on the report card after so many years of hard toiling,” she said in an interview with BD. Stewart gets an A from more than just family and friends. During her 25-year career in the Coca-Cola system, Stewart has earned a reputation as a formidable leader and collaborator who is a rising star within Coca-Cola. Stewart began her Coke system career with Coca-Cola Enterprises, rising eventually to director and VP of national sales, national foodservice, and specialty retail. In 2010, she moved to Coca-Cola after the company’s acquisition of CCE, becoming chief of staff to Coca-Cola Refreshments President and CEO Steve Cahillane, who also moved from CCE. From there, Stewart rose eventually to SVP of national retail sales in 2018, where she led a team covering sales, marketing, category management, and operations across more than 20 global and national customers. Stewart also served as president of Coke North America’s West Zone franchise operations, working with bottlers such as Reyes Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, before being elevated to her current role in January 2023. BD spoke to Stewart to get her view of the current retail customer environment in the US.

The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity:

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