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Beverage Manufacturer Southern Visions Constructs Bay Minette, Alabama, Production Facility

12/11/2018
Southern Visions, makers of Sweet Brew tea and lemonade, broke ground on a new 125,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bay Minette, Alabama.

The new facility will house the company’s tea and sugar production operations and is expected to create 66 new jobs and more than $24 million in capital investment to Baldwin County and Bay Minette over the next three years.

“I am very proud of our employees and our company, as well as what we have been able to achieve to be here today,” said Paul Stewart, Owner of Southern Visions, LLP. “I want to thank the people and leaders of Bay Minette and Baldwin County for the overwhelming welcome we have received. All parties involved have been an absolute pleasure to get to know and do business with, and we look forward to a great future here in Bay Minette.”

According to company officials, The company’s new facility, located along the east side of Highway 31 in Bay Minette, will further position Southern Visions for sustained growth in the industry, providing much-needed rail service vital to the growth of their granulated sugar operations.

Southern Visions, headquartered in Loxley, Alabama, is a leading innovator for fresh-brewed beverage products in the food service industry. Founded in 2003, the family-owned and -operated business services some of the largest food service distributors in the country.

“The City of Bay Minette is very excited to have Southern Visions, LLP, coming to our community,” said Bob Wills, Mayor of Bay Minette. “They are on the cutting edge of their industry and have experienced tremendous growth over the past few years. Their future is very bright, and we are glad that they see their new, expanding manufacturing facility here in Bay Minette as an integral part of their future success. These are exciting times for Bay Minette, and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Southern Visions, LLP.”

The company holds numerous patents for the Sweet Brew pouch, which has proven to be one of the biggest innovations for sweet tea since the introduction of the commercial tea brewer in 1978. With a growing client base scattered throughout the country, Southern Visions’ said its network of distribution partners has seen an average year over year increase of over 300 percent.

Lee Lawson, President & CEO of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, said this is another great example of an innovative company choosing to keep their future growth and development in Baldwin County. For three years in a row, SmartAsset has ranked Baldwin County No. 1 in the state of Alabama for incoming business investment, and the county has seen over 14,000 net new jobs created, since 2010.

“Baldwin County is proud to be home to innovative and creative companies, like Southern Visions,” said Skip Gruber, Chairman of the Baldwin County Commission. “As businesses thrive and grow, they are always seeking the best new location for their investment. Baldwin County’s continued local support for our business community, paired with consistent economic and population growth, has resulted in companies like Southern Visions choosing to keep their future, right here at home, in Baldwin County.”

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