COOPERSVILLE, MICH. — The Coca-Cola Company broke ground Wednesday on a $650 million, 245,000-square-foot expansion to Fairlife's dairy production plant at 999 W. Randall St. in Coopersville, Michigan — a project expected to add up to 200 jobs and significantly increase milk processing capacity.
WATCH: Fairlife breaks ground on $650 million expansion in Coopersville, adding jobs and dairy output
Fairlife currently sources more than 6 million pounds of milk per day from more than 30 Michigan dairy farms. The expansion will include two additional production lines, which will increase that milk intake by 60%.
Fairlife CEO Becca Kerr said the expansion is essential to keeping pace with growing consumer demand.
"Demand for our product has never been higher, and so this capacity is critical for us to continue to meet that demand," Kerr said. "We're going to be adding 4 million pounds per day of milk when we expand this site. Every single one of those pounds is a farmer's hard work, and we are really proud to be a long-term partner to those farmers."
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer attended the groundbreaking and highlighted the project's economic impact for the state.
"Creating 150 to 200 new good-paying jobs and supporting more than 400 Michiganders and their families who already are employed here," Whitmer said. "It'll help Michigan dairy farmers too. We are one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the country."
Tim Boring, director of Michigan's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the expansion reflects broader trends in the state's dairy industry — which he noted leads the nation in cow productivity.
"Michigan boasts the most productive cows of any state across the country," Boring said. "Dairy production, dairy consumption continues to grow here in Michigan, and it's these higher value products that I think is reflective of a consumer base that cares how and where their food is grown."
Boring added that the demand generated by the facility strengthens Michigan's broader agricultural economy.
"Substantial in-state demand for this milk really fuels the dairy industry here and in a corresponding way, the general AG economy in a really important way," Boring said.
Coopersville Mayor Brian Mooney said the expansion is already being felt across the local business community.
"It's great for the economic development of Coopersville, you know, brings a lot of jobs in — not just full-time jobs, but a lot of the contractor work coming in through here," Mooney said.
Mooney described a recent conversation that illustrated Fairlife's ripple effect on local businesses.
"I was at a class reunion on Friday ... they held it at the local brewery up here, and the owner of the brewery talked about how much business has grown since Fairlife is here, and all the contractors, everybody coming in, and how much it's helped grow his business," Mooney said. "We got a lot of other small businesses and stuff coming in. There's this rustic sourdough place that's coming in here, a person trying to live the American dream, and they're having that. Fairlife is helping do that."
Construction on the expansion is expected to be completed in early 2028.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
