Coca-Cola Beverages Florida LLC (Coke Florida) is investing more than $250 million for its new Tampa sales and distribution center, an 800,000-sq.-ft. facility.
The company hosted a groundbreaking for the building's construction June 16 on a 156-acre parcel located on U.S. Highway 301 between Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and Causeway Boulevard on Tampa's east side.
Coke Florida intends for the center to house its sales, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, fleet operations and professional services all under one roof. The company's current Tampa operations employ more than 800 associates, and the new facility will bring most of them together on one ultramodern campus, Food Engineering reported.
As an example, the new complex will be designed to include a leading-edge warehousing system built to improve the speed and accuracy of Coke Florida's operations while putting less stress on its employees.
Site preparation for the Tampa facility's construction is slated to begin this summer, and officials with Coke Florida said at the groundbreaking that they think work on the project, expected to last two to three years, will bring significant economic activity to the area.
Construction Latest Example of Tampa's Growth
Tampa and Hillsborough County government officials, along with business and community partners, were on hand for the family-owned company's milestone event.
Speaking at the groundbreaking, City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor commented, "I'm honored to be here with the Coke Florida team and with my friend, Troy Taylor [Coke Florida's founder, chair, and CEO]. 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, [and it's understanding of] the responsibility to give back to our community so that everyone in our city and county can enjoy the success that not only Coke Florida, but our entire community, is [realizing]," she added.
Food Engineering reported that Castor confirmed her belief that the new development will jump start more growth and development by helping to attract other businesses into the Tampa area.
In his remarks, Taylor expressed his appreciation for the company's associates and the work they do each day to deliver Coca-Cola products to customers and consumers.
"While we are only seven years old as Coke Florida, the Coca-Cola system has been operating in [the Sunshine State] for over 100 years," he said. "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 an 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. In addition, the company employs over 4,600 associates and runs 18 sales and distribution centers across the state.
In May, Coke Florida was selected as a 2022 U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. The program recognizes outstanding private companies and the achievements of their management teams in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture, and governance/financial performance.
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