Niagara Bottling, one of the nation’s leading beverage manufacturers, plans to establish a new production facility near Hammond, Louisiana. The $160 million project is expected to create 70 jobs.

The highly automated 500,000-square-foot facility will contain advanced equipment and technology that will increase production efficiency to allow the company to meet growing demand, according to state officials. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2023.

“Niagara Bottling is grounded in principles that put strong business and community relationships first, and we look forward to deepening our connection with Tangipahoa Parish through the establishment of this facility,” said Niagara Bottling Executive Vice President Brian Hess. “Louisiana has a rich beverage manufacturing history, and Tangipahoa Parish stood out as a highly attractive partner for this project thanks to a combination of location, logistical support and potential workforce.”

To secure the project, the state of Louisiana offered Niagara a competitive incentive package featuring the comprehensive solutions of LED FastStart.

“Niagara’s new production facility will help grow Louisiana’s food and beverage industry while continuing to diversify and strengthen our thriving manufacturing sector,” Governor John Bel Edwards noted. “Manufacturing jobs have a powerful ripple effect on our economy, so the 170 new job opportunities this project creates will benefit not only Tangipahoa Parish but the entire Southeast Region.”

The incentive package also includes a performance-based $750,000 award through the Economic Development Award Program to support site infrastructure improvements. In addition, the company is expected to participate in the Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

“The growth of our region’s food and beverage manufacturing sector continues with the expansion of Niagara into the market, and furthers a vision for the North Shore to evolve into a logistics and distribution hub,” added Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “This announcement follows an extensive multi-state search, where company leadership found Tangipahoa Parish to demonstrate a business case that couldn’t be rivaled. Our region’s workforce will benefit from these emerging career opportunities, and resulting advantages of increased commerce taking place in our backyards.”

Headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, Niagara supplies some of the largest beverage brands, retailers, grocers and convenience stores in the U.S. with a variety of beverages, including sparkling, vitamin and flavored waters, teas, sports drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, protein drinks, non-dairy milk products and bottled water. The company operates more than 40 production facilities with over 7,000 employees worldwide.

"Working with Niagara Bottling Company over the past several months has truly been a team effort,” Tangipahoa Parish Executive Director of Economic Development Ginger Cangelosi said. “Every arm of Tangipahoa Parish government along with all of our ancillary services moved together to find the best solutions to land this project here. Niagara Bottling is a solid, well-established company that values quality, integrity, hard work and great customer service. We are proud and excited to welcome them to Tangipahoa Parish and look forward to continuing to support them long-term as they build and grow here."