A Coca-Cola producer and distributor is planning to open a $475 million manufacturing plant to help it achieve its growth targets and sustainability goals.
The 620,000-square-foot bottling facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, will produce more than 230 beverages across 60 brands, Swire Coca-Cola said in an announcement.
Swire Coca-Cola will break ground on the facility in 2026. The facility is expected to create 170 jobs and will replace the company’s Denver plant, which Swire Coca-Cola said was 90 years old.
Headquartered in Utah, Swire Coca-Cola produces, sells and distributes Coke and other beverages across 13 states in the Western U.S.
It plans to pursue LEED Gold Certification for the project, a designation that reviews a project’s environmental impact.
“This investment represents our long-term commitment to the region, supporting local jobs, enhancing our production capabilities, and ensuring we continue manufacturing our large portfolio of beverage brands right here in Colorado,” Bryan Sink, senior vice president of supply chain at Swire Coca-Cola USA, said in the release.
Swire Coca-Cola initially planned to build this plant in Denver near the city’s airport. The deal ultimately fell through earlier this year due to what executives called “timeline instability,” according to the Denver Business Journal.
Coca-Cola has transferred its bottling operations to local and independent operators to boost profitability. In its most recent earnings report, the beverage maker saw net revenue grow 5% to $12.5 billion. Unit case volume in North America was flat, as growth in water, sports, coffee and tea was offset by declines in trademark Coca-Cola, juice, dairy and plant-based beverages.
