Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited (Coke Canada Bottling) today announced the company is making a capital investment of $34 million in its manufacturing facility in Lachine to help meet the growing demand for more local products given the positive momentum it’s experiencing in Eastern Canada, particularly in Quebec. The investment is in a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing line that will help to accelerate the company’s growth and meet the evolving needs of consumers in the region, as well as solidify its presence in the Greater Montreal Area.
“We are a family business and, as Montreal’s local bottler, we’re very committed to investing in our business for the long-term,” said Todd Parsons, Coke Canada Bottling CEO. “As a still relatively new company, we’re experiencing very positive momentum in the local market and we’re making investments in our operations to drive our growth. These actions all reflect our Mission to deliver optimism and create a better future for our customers, consumers and communities.”
The new manufacturing line at the Lachine facility will enable the local production of canned beverages and add capacity to the facility enabling more products to be certified Aliments du Québec including new 32 pack packaging of Coke Classic®, Coke Zero®, Diet Coke®, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale®. It is expected to be operational in Spring 2023.
“We believe that our diversity is our superpower and we’re creating a workplace environment where everyone sees, hears and feels that they belong. Attracting potential, diverse employees who want to join us in our Mission is a priority for us. Later this month, we’re launching a marketing campaign in the GMA to highlight how important this is,” added Erika Tremblay, Coke Canada’s Operating Unit Vice President for Eastern Canada. The company’s most senior leaders in the Greater Montreal Area are all women and include Tremblay, Lachine plant manager, Ghislaine Mourafik and general manager for Montreal and Ottawa, Melanie Rioux.
The Greater Montreal Area is home to over 560 diverse Coke Canada employees working at the company’s Lachine manufacturing facility and Montreal Sales and Distribution Centre. The company’s facilities operate 24 hours a day, five to six days per week. Locally, Coke Canada services approximately 9,700 customers and makes and packages over 120 skus into seven different packages on three lines, producing approximately 25 million cases of product a year including Coca-Cola®, Canada Dry® and A&W® products as well as the recently introduced clear Sprite and Fresca bottles helping to ensure more clear PET is in recycling systems so more can be captured and remade into recycled PET bottles. Coke Canada Bottling annually injects over $75 million into the Montreal economy through local vendors and partners. The company’s local teams have strong community relationships with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Accueil Bonneau and Dans la Rue. All products made at the company’s Lachine Manufacturing facility are certified Aliments du Québec.
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