Danone U.S. Opens $65 Million Jacksonville, Florida, Expansion
Danone U.S. announced it has opened the $65 million expansion of its Jacksonville, Fla., facility, adding a new production line to support the growth of the company’s coffee and creamer portfolio, including the International Delight and STōK Cold Brew Coffee brands.
The 115,025-sq.-ft. facility has been in operation since 1948, and the new line features a unique bottle-molding process designed to increase production capacity and efficiency. It also will result in a 30% reduction in bottle loss and reduced water usage to create Danone’s new recyclable bottles.
Along with the plant expansion, Danone is investing in a new Jacksonville-area, regional distribution center that will get products to customers across the southeastern U.S. at peak freshness, helping enhance supply chain efficiency. The new line at the processing plant and the new distribution center combined are expected to create nearly 200 direct and indirect jobs in the community, the company noted.
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.