Coca-Cola to Build $650M Facility in Upstate New York

fairlife products. Image courtesy of Governor Hochul

The Coca-Cola Co. has selected Upstate New York for the construction of a 745,000-square-foot facility that will produce fairlife‘s ultra-filtered milk, Governor Hochul announced.

With an estimated cost of $650 million, the project will take shape in Webster, N.Y. Fairlife has had a strategic partnership with Coca-Cola since its inception in 2012, culminating in Coca-Cola’s acquisition of the firm in 2020.

Subject to all necessary approvals and final due diligence, the project is expected to break ground this fall. The facility is scheduled to become fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025.

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The company will receive up to $21 million in financing from Empire State Development (ESD) through the Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program, which is contingent on its job creation targets. Additionally, the Monroe County IDA plans to seek a $20 million Capital Grant from ESD to cover infrastructure costs, including power supply for the site.

The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Monroe County Industrial Development Agency, the Town of Webster, Rochester Gas and Electric and Greater Rochester Enterprise also played a significant role in attracting fairlife to New York State.

fairlife’s NY expansion boosts agricultural processing

According to Governor Hochul’s official statement, the new facility is projected to generate up to 250 job opportunities in the region and foster economic growth, particularly in the Finger Lakes area. The expansion of fairlife’s operations in Monroe County is viewed as the next phase in New York’s prosperous agricultural narrative, the governor said.

The project aligns with the “Finger Lakes Forward” strategy, a comprehensive plan for stimulating economic growth and community development in the region. The strategy is tailored to the area and prioritizes investments in strategic industries such as photonics, agriculture and food production, as well as advanced manufacturing.

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The development project also fulfills the Governor’s commitment, as outlined in her 2023 State of the State address, to address the demand for increased agricultural processing capacity and mitigate supply chain gaps.

To achieve this, an interagency team comprising Empire State Development and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will collaborate with new and expanding businesses to encourage further investment in food manufacturing across the state.

Expected utilization of 5M pounds of locally sourced milk daily

Tebor Road site. Image courtesy of Governor Hochul

Set to take shape on Tebor Road, within the 130th Assembly District of New York, the facility is expected to use approximately 5 million pounds of locally sourced milk per day, making it the largest dairy plant in the Northeast. This development has the potential to position New York as the third-largest producer of milk in the U.S.

New York State has a thriving agricultural sector, with nearly 3,500 dairy farms and a total of 620,000 cows. The state benefits from its plentiful resources, fertile land, access to water and farmers, with a significant proportion of its farms participating in the state’s AEM program, as well as national programs including the NMPF FARM program.

With access to the latest on-farm technologies, dairy farmers in New York are well-positioned to maintain their reputation for producing high-quality milk in an environmentally sustainable manner.