CANADA – Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited has announced that it plans to invest nearly CAD 30 million (US$23.5 million) in its manufacturing facilities in the Greater Toronto Area.
The capital will be used to expand its manufacturing capabilities at its facilities in Weston and Brampton, resulting in the local production of several products moving from the U.S. to Canada as well as unlocking more capacity and capability to meet increased consumer demand, innovation and growth needs.
“As Canada’s local bottler, we’re very committed to our mission to create a better future and deliver optimism for our employees, customers, consumers, and communities and investing in our manufacturing facilities is one of the ways we intend to do that,” said Todd Parsons, Coke Canada Bottling President and CEO.
The company plans to inject CAD 17 million (US$13.3 million) into its Weston plant to install new equipment, which it says will improve the efficiency of the facility offering stability for its local operations where the company employs 185 people.
The move to local production will result in a reduction in emissions of over 1.25 million kilograms of C02 given product will no longer have to move between countries.
The new equipment is set to start up in the first quarter of 2021.
“As Canada’s local bottler, we’re very committed to our mission to create a better future and deliver optimism for our employees, customers, consumers, and communities and investing in our manufacturing facilities is one of the ways we intend to do that.”
Todd Parsons, Coke Canada Bottling President and CEO
Meanwhile, CAD 12.8 million (US$10 million) will be invested in converting existing line manufacturing capabilities at its Brampton facility, in an effort to meet demand for more product innovation.
The expansion is expected to be operational in second quarter of 2021 and will create nine new jobs to join the current 1,300 employees at the facility.
Coke Canada Bottling is a family-owned business, with more than 5,500 diverse employees coast-to-coast.
As Canada’s local bottler, the company operates in every province through more than 50 sales and distribution centres and five manufacturing facilities.
It manufactures, distributes, merchandises and sells brands such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta.
The beverage company recently completed its first-ever, CAD 85 million (US$65m) dairy facility in Peterborough, Ontario, to enable it bring Canadians its innovative fairlife products made with 100% Canadian milk.
The premium, ultra filtered milk – with 50% less sugar and 50% more protein – is now available on store shelves across Canada, featuring the Dairy Farmers of Canada blue cow logo to highlight its newly planted Canadian roots.
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