Coca-Cola Canada Announces Strategic Investment In New Production Facility To Bring Dairy Innovation To Canada

TORONTO--Coca-Cola Canada announced an $85M CAD investment to build a new production facility in Peterborough, Ontario. The facility will provide new production capabilities starting with fairlife Ultrafiltered Milk, a lactose free milk containing nine essential nutrients, with 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than traditional milk. Working closely with Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Canada will be the first international market for fairlife products. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to continue the fairlife journey with our forthcoming expansion into Canada,” says Tim Doelman, chief operating officer of fairlife. “We’re continuing to experience tremendous growth as more and more people are becoming dedicated fans of our rich tasting and nutritious milk, and we’re confident that Canadians are going to love it as well. The decision to launch fairlife in Canada was an easy one to make, given the high farming and dairy standards already in place. All of our products start with high quality, great tasting fresh milk, which is what Canadian dairy farms are dedicated to as well.” 

The new facility, scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2020, will produce fairlife Ultrafiltered Milk in Fat Free, 2% White, 2% Chocolate and Whole (3.25%) White in 1.5L PET bottles; and 2% White and 2% Chocolate in 240 mL PET bottles. 

“This announcement is a significant step in our journey to be a total beverage company. We are listening to consumers and evolving our business strategy to respond,” says Shane Grant, president of the Canadian business unit of The Coca-Cola Company. “We have launched an unprecedented number of new products into the Canadian market over the last 18 months including smaller package formats and new brands, such as Gold Peak, smartwater sparkling, Glaceau fruitwater, vitaminwater active, Peace Tea, and Powerade Zero. Adding fairlife Ultrafiltered Milk to our portfolio means we can offer Canadians more of what they are looking for – products with less sugar, more functional benefits and more natural ingredients.” 

The new facility will create 35 jobs and will drive incremental benefits within the economy, from the development and construction of the facility to the ongoing resources and suppliers needed to support daily operations. The plant will be supplied with milk from local dairy farmers in Ontario and will bring new innovation to the Canadian dairy industry. 

“Dairy farmers in Ontario look forward to working with processors, such as Coca-Cola Canada and fairlife, to bring further innovation to our growing Canadian dairy industry, and are excited at the opportunity fairlife presents to expand the dairy category and offer more variety to consumers,” says Graham Lloyd, Dairy Farmers of Ontario general manager and chief executive officer. “Canadian consumers value high-quality milk and animal care standards available in Ontario and throughout Canada, which is why Canada is an ideal market to launch fairlife. Canada’s dairy system continues to contribute to the Canadian economy by attracting millions of dollars in processor investments and offering continued and stable growth.” 

“Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry generates over $100 billion of our gross domestic product, employing more Canadians than any other manufacturing industry in the country,” says the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “This new plant in Peterborough will help create jobs, encourage innovation and foster new market opportunities in Ontario and across the country—tapping into the growth potential of Canada’s agriculture and food industry.” 

"I welcome today's announcement by Coca-Cola. This investment represents a significant vote of confidence in a 70-year strong partnership between Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, and our region's skilled workers,” says the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha. “The renewal of this important relationship will create 35 new, well-paying jobs and continue to support 100 good, middle-class jobs at the Peterborough Minute Maid plant. This investment in our community further solidifies Peterborough-Kawartha as a regional leader in innovation and economic development.” 

About Coca-Cola in Canada 

Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces, and employs 6,200 people in more than 50 facilities, including six production facilities across Canada. We offer a wide variety of beverage brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options. These beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. We’re proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Life®, Sprite®, Fanta®, NESTEA®, Gold Peak®, POWERADE®, Minute Maid®, DASANI®, smartwater®, smartwater® sparkling, and vitaminwater®. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit www.coca-cola.ca. 

On social media: 

Twitter: @CocaColaCo_ca 
Website: https://www.coca-cola.ca/stories/fairlife-total-beverage-company 

About fairlife LLC 

fairlife, LLC is a dairy-based health food company that produces and markets nutrient dense, great-tasting milk beverages made using a cold filtration process to remove lactose and sugars while maximizing the natural proteins, nutrients, and minerals found in cow’s milk. The company was founded in 2012 by Mike and Sue McCloskey of Select Milk Producers, Inc., a group of dairy farmers dedicated to using exceptional cow care and sustainable farming practices to yield higher quality milk. The line of delicious fairlife™ products includes: fairlife™ ultrafiltered milk, the only lactose-free milk with 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than regular milk for the whole family; Core Power®, a high protein milkshake for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to help build lean muscle and support healthy recovery; fairlife™ with DHA, an ultra-filtered milk with DHA Omega-3 fatty acids to support brain health; fairlife™ Smart Snacks, a snack sized beverage with honey, oats, and prebiotic fiber; and fairlife YUP!™, a line of flavored milks. In partnership with The Coca-Cola Company®, all fairlife drinks are distributed throughout the U.S. and available in retail outlets nationwide. To learn more about fairlife and its collection of tasty, nutrient-rich products, please visit fairlife.com or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.