Molson Coors Beverage Co. has donated 154,000 cans of fresh drinking water to truck drivers across the United States and Canada in an effort to help keep them safe by limiting the amount of stops they need to make for supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company last week delivered 50,000 cans to the national trucking company, Werner Enterprises, for it to distribute across its national fleet from terminals in Florida, Georgia and Texas.
Molson Coors is also sending 104,000 cans to its breweries in Albany, Ga., Elkton, Va., Fort Worth, Texas, Golden, Colo., Milwaukee, Montreal and Toronto where they’ll be given to drivers from more than 100 trucking companies who arrive for pick ups.
“Truck drivers are the unsung heroes keeping America nourished and our supply chains moving during a time of great need,” says Michael Nordman, Molson Coors’ community affairs director. “While many around the country are sheltering in place, truck drivers are working long hours away from their families to keep our stores and pantries stocked.”
On an average week, Molson Coors drivers in the U.S. and Canada make some 9,000 shipments carrying nearly 16.5 million cases of beer and other beverages across about 4 million miles, says Jimmy Ochoa, vice president of distribution for the Americas at Molson Coors. “As cities, states and provinces start implementing measures to try to contain COVID-19, their everyday work has become more and more difficult.”
Drivers’ “contributions are immeasurable, and we want to thank them for their incredible dedication,” Ochoa says.
In recent weeks, Molson Coors breweries have also provided drivers with food and drink, and clean, sanitized bathrooms to help them limit unnecessary stops and to ensure they’re safe during pickups.
“As our professional drivers work tirelessly to deliver necessities to all of our families, it is important to support them in their travels,” says Derek Leathers, Werner Enterprises’ president and CEO. “We want to thank Molson Coors for showing their appreciation to our drivers by providing them with canned water. Every bit of support shown matters."
The water is part of a Molson Coors effort launched in partnership with Broomfield, Colo.-based Ball Corp. in 2017 to assist communities in crisis. It is canned at the Molson Coors brewery in Trenton, Ohio, and stored and shipped from its Shenandoah brewery in Elkton, Va. Graphic Packaging International donated the 12-pack cartons.
The company also recently donated 50,000 cans of water to the Salvation Army Intermountain Division in Denver, Colo., to assist with the organization’s COVID-19 relief efforts. The donations are part of the company’s broader response to the pandemic, which also included a $1 million donation pledged last week to the United States Bartenders’ Guild.