Starbucks to Create More Than 140 U.S. Manufacturing Jobs at State-of-the-Art Plant in Georgia

Starbucks Coffee Company

today joined civic and elected leaders in Augusta, Georgia, to break ground on its first company-owned manufacturing facility in the world to produce soluble products. The $172 million plant is expected to create 140 high-quality American manufacturing jobs, in addition to hundreds of indirect jobs related to construction, shipping and other supply chain functions. Once complete in early 2014, the facility will produce products currently manufactured abroad, including Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew as well as the coffee base for Frappuccino® blended beverages and many of Starbucks® ready-to-drink beverages. The soluble plant will be Starbucks fifth manufacturing facility in the U.S., adding to the company's existing network of four roasting plants which currently employ more than 830 partners (employees) in Kent, Wash., York, Pa., Sandy Run, S.C., and Carson Valley, Nev. Designed to be LEED® certified, the 180,000 sq. ft. soluble plant will be capable of producing up to 4,000 metric tons per year.