Coca-Cola Begins Construction of Webster, New York, Fairlife Plant

April 19, 2024

The 745,000-sq.-ft. facility — which represents a $650 million investment — remains on track to open in the second half of 2025.

Andy Hanacek

The Coca-Cola Co. has begun construction of a new, 745,000-sq.-ft. Fairlife dairy processing facility in Webster, N.Y., according to local news reports covering the groundbreaking ceremony.

The facility, announced in May 2023, will be Fairlife’s first in the Northeast, and it is expected to open in the second half of 2025. It is expected to cost $650 million to build and will bring 250 new jobs to the region.

According to one report, the project will receive up to $21 million in assistance through tax credits, and the local power provider will also provide low-cost power in exchange for job creation commitments. Fairlife said the new plant will include features designed to lessen the environmental impact of the facility.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.