Three family-run businesses from Barnsley, Monk Bretton and Grenoside, and a father-and-son duo from Coca-Cola's Wakefield factory are stepping into the spotlight as the stars of a major new Coca-Cola campaign celebrating the people behind the counters of Britain’s local high street businesses.

Coca‑Cola Great Britain has unveiled Counter Cultures, a new campaign celebrating the family-run pubs, cafés and takeaways that sit at the heart of communities across the UK.

The renewed focus on local communities reflects a wider shift across the UK. New research commissioned by Coca‑Cola shows nearly half of Gen Z (47%) are looking to build careers closer to home, with proximity to family (44%) and a more affordable cost of living (27%) among the factors influencing their decisions. Nearly three in five Gen-Zs(58%) are considering vocational careers, and over half (52%) are considering following in their families’ footsteps.

In Yorkshire specifically, a third of respondents (33%) said they’ve noticed more young people staying closer to home rather than moving away. The majority cite that this has a positive impact on local businesses (53%), local communities (48%) and local economies (48%).

Made in Wakefield, Served in Barnsley

Centred in Wakefield and the surrounding areas, home to Coca-Cola’s factory, which employs over 600 people, the campaign shines a spotlight on the families who make, distribute and serve Coca-Cola, from those working at the factory to those selling it to their local communities.

David Sargant, Owner of The Old Red Lion pub comments: "The Old Red Lion has always been more than just a pub to us. It’s where families come for a meal, mountain bikers stop after a ride, or old friends catch up over a drink. My wife and I run it together and what makes it special is that people feel comfortable here. It’s familiar, people know each other, and they know they will be welcomed – that’s what makes a local pub such an important part of a community.”

Together, the stories of employees and business owners reflect the generations of families who have helped make, serve and share Coca-Cola for the last 125 years, and the role they play in supporting local communities.

Counter Cultures Local Bosses

Central to the campaign is a hero film connecting the Wakefield site with local businesses in nearby areas, tracing the journey from production to the counters where the brand is enjoyed every day.

As part of the initiative, each business involved will receive a five-figure sum to support a local initiative or cause of their choosing, reinforcing Coca-Cola’s commitment to supporting the local causes it serves.

Dusan Stojankic, Vice President and General Manager of Great Britain & Ireland at Coca-Cola said: “For 125 years, Coca-Cola has been made, served and shared by people and businesses in communities across Great Britain. With Counter Cultures, we wanted to celebrate the family-run local businesses and multi-generational teams who help bring that story to life every day – from our Wakefield factory to the counters of cafés, pubs and takeaways where people come together.”

The Coca-Cola System, including Costa and its bottling partner CCEP, employs over 31,000 people in Great Britain, 97% of the drinks it sells in GB are produced here and this campaign spotlights the stories of generations of families who have helped make, distribute and serve Coca-Cola, while also connecting and supporting their local communities.

The campaign launches this summer, with further content rolling out across the year.