Coca‑Cola Company invests US$650M to expand Fairlife facility in Michigan

USA – Coca-Cola Company has announced a US$650 million investment to expand production at its Fairlife facility in Michigan.

The investment at its Coopersville manufacturing plant will add 245,000 square feet of production space and create 150 additional jobs, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation said in a statement.

Fairlife, which produces ultra-filtered, lactose-free milk, protein and nutrition shakes, has been located in Coopersville since 2012.

It employs more than 400 people. Facility updates will help production keep up with consumer demand as the brand sees significant growth, the press release stated.

The announcement followed the Michigan Strategic Fund Board’s approval of a US$17 million grant to fund regional water system improvements, as well as US$3.9 million “Alternative State Essential Services Assessment” abatement for the Fairlife project.

Jennifer Owens, the President of Regional Economic Development Agency Lakeshore Advantage, said in a statement that the expansion builds momentum for the Lakeshore’s growing agribusiness and food production industry cluster.

Additionally, the company is also set to inaugurate its state-of-the-art Fairlife production facility in Webster, N.Y., this year.

Announced in 2023, the company selected Webster, New York as its preferred location for a new Fairlife production facility as part of the brand’s continued expansion in the Northeast market.

The new 100-acre facility is expected to source from local milk co-operatives to produce fairlife’s high-quality, dairy-based beverages before distributing them to retailers across the region.

Fairlife CEO Tim Doelman said, “Consumer demand for fairlife products is at an all-time high, and a new production facility will allow us to significantly increase capacity and deliver fairlife to even more households across the country.

“As we continue to grow in the Northeast, Webster’s proximity and access to best-in-class dairy farmers make it an excellent location to support our next phase of growth in the region and beyond. We are sincerely grateful for the collaboration from Governor Hochul and her administration throughout this process.”

The dairy industry is New York’s largest agricultural sector and contributes significantly to the state’s economy.

The Town of Webster is well situated between high-quality dairy cooperatives in the Rochester and Niagara regions, with a surrounding workforce that has the relevant manufacturing and food and beverage experience, making it the ideal location for fairlife’s expansion.

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