Keurig Green Mountain Inc. announced June 19 it will open a facility in Douglasville, Ga., to manufacture pods for its evolving cold-brew beverage system. The $337 million investment to buy and renovate a 585,000-sq.-ft. building is part of the company's ramp-up to commercialize the cold brewing system developed in partnership with Coca-Cola Co.
The renovation may take five years to complete but should result in 550 new jobs.
Keurig is the leader in coffee brewing with its iconic coffee-makers, and a few food processors already are developing products to hot-brew foods (soups and oatmeal) with the existing system. But in February, Keurig announced a partnership with and buy-in by Coca-Cola Co. to develop the Keurig Cold beverage system, which will deliver "freshly-made cold beverages, including carbonated drinks, enhanced waters, juice drinks, sports drinks and teas, in consumers’ homes," the company said at the time.
Coca-Cola Co. paid $1.25 billion for a 10 percent equity stake in Keurig Green Mountain (formerly Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.). The cold system currently is under development with expected availability in 2015.
In addition to the new Douglas County location, Keurig maintains eight production and distribution facilities in Castroville, Calif.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Windsor, Va.;Essex, Waterbury and Williston, Vt.; Sumner, Wash.; and Montréal. The new plant will complement the company's new Early Production Center inWilliston, Vt., which will serve as a hub for Keurig Cold start-up and early production work. The company is based in Waterbury, Vt.
Keurig got assistance from Douglas County Development Authority and Georgia Dept. of Economic Development.
