Coca-Cola plans to spend $650 million to expand a West Michigan plant that produces dairy and protein products under its Fairlife brand, state officials announced Tuesday.
The project would add about 245,000 square feet of space to the Coopersville plant, along with two high-speed production lines and about 150 jobs.
Michigan officials said that the project would help meet growing demand for Fairlife’s lactose-free milk and protein shake products. The company opened its Coopersville operations in 2012 and it has expanded “several times” in the past 10 years; more than 400 people currently work at the facility.
The announcement followed the Michigan Strategic Fund Board’s approval of a $17 million grant to fund regional water system improvements, as well as $3.9 million “Alternative State Essential Services Assessment” abatement for the Fairlife project.
Jennifer Owens, the president of regional economic development agency Lakeshore Advantage, said in a statement that the expansion “builds momentum for the Lakeshore’s growing agribusiness and food production industry cluster.”
