Gotta Love the Bear
Black Bear Bottling was founded by a man named Louis Patmont in the early 1920s in the Town of Lake (now St. Francis). At the time, he had a black bear cub that he kept as a pet. Once the bear got too big to handle it was set off into the wild. To pay tribute to his beloved pet, Louis Patmont named his bottling company Black Bear Bottling. He ran the company as a spring water bottling company but quickly evolved into a soft drink bottling company. At the time of its inception, Black Bear produced soda in one package, 12 oz returnable bottles.
The Caruso Family
Ester & Peter Caruso
The Caruso family took over the business in 1961 and as the business evolved, more packages became available including 12 oz non-returnable glass bottles. These became popular due to the fact the bottles were recyclable. The next progression was in the mid 1990s when the trend shifted to plastic (PET) bottles. The 20 oz plastic bottle is now the most popular package the company produces.
Because of the high demand for business, the company moved from the 10,000 square foot facility to an 80,000 square foot facility in Oak Creek. This building was a major step in the growth of the business. Being very close to the interstate was a major selling point on the building which allows shipping to be very efficient. The Oak Creek location is the center of a 600 mile radius that is able to serve 33% of the US population.
50 Years Later
Still owned and opperated by the Caruso family, Black Bear currently employs 25 full time and 5 part time employees, a number that has grown every year due to the increase in business. Black Bear Bottling, LLC produces quality traditional and customized beverages for regional, national, and international brands. Black Bear Bottling Group, LLC efficiently produces beverages on three distinct lines accommodating both plastic and glass bottles as well as a separate line for Bag in Box production.
Bottles in motion at the present day Black Bear Bottling plant.
Things look bright for Black Bear Bottling, LLC in the near future. We continue to maintain the level of excellence that was started over 90 years ago. Our family thanks you for showing interest in our site and would invite you to try our delicious assortment of flavored sodas.