Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Tampa Sales and Distribution Center. Coke Florida will invest over $250 million in the construction of the new 800,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art facility. The structure will sit on a 156-acre parcel and is located on U.S. Highway 301 between the Selmon Expressway and Causeway Boulevard.

Coke Florida’s current Tampa operations employs more than 800 associates across sales, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, fleet operations and professional services. The new facility will bring most of these associates together on one campus and will include a leading-edge warehousing system designed to improve the speed and accuracy of operations while putting less stress on associates. Site preparation for the construction of the facility is scheduled to begin in third quarter of this year. The construction of the facility will bring significant economic activity to the area and is expected to be completed in 24 to 36 months.

Local government officials, business partners, and community partners shared in the milestone event for the family-owned company. Speaking at the event, City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor commented, “I’m honored to be here with the Coke Florida team and with my friend, Troy Taylor. I have known Troy to be an excellent business leader and a visionary. The success of Coke Florida is evidence of that. I appreciate the success of Coke Florida as an organization but more so what touches my heart is the success of Coke Florida as a member of the community, understanding the responsibility to give back to our community so that everyone in our city and our county can enjoy the success that not only Coke Florida is realizing but our entire community is [realizing]. So, this development is incredible, it is going to jump start growth and so much more development and bring other businesses into our community. “

Troy Taylor, Coke Florida’s founder, chairman and chief executive officer shared appreciation for the company’s associates and the work they do each day to deliver the business to customers and consumers. Taylor added “While we are only 7 years old as Coke Florida, the Coca-Cola system has been operating in Florida for over 100 years. This means we are built on a solid foundation of serving ice cold beverages to Floridians and visitors, providing good-paying and long-lasting jobs to Floridians, and being and involved member in the communities where we operate. I am proud of the additional economic activity that our operations and projects will bring to the Tampa-St. Petersburg area with this new facility and our soon to be opened facility in St. Petersburg.”

Tampa is home to Coke Florida’s headquarters and one of its four manufacturing facilities. Across the state, the company employs over 4,600 associates and operates 18 sales and distribution facilities in addition to the 4 manufacturing facilities. In May of this year, Coke Florida was selected as a 2022 US Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. The program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies and the achievements of their management teams in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture, and governance/financial performance.