TIFTON, Ga. (WTXL) — Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Coca-Cola Bottling Company United (UNITED), the second largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America, will build a new sales center in Tifton, creating 200 jobs and investing $60 million in the project.

This new facility in Tifton will include a sales and distribution center, warehouse, and office space, and will serve customers and other Coca-Cola facilities throughout South Georgia and the Florida panhandle, distributing around 4.5 million cases of Coca-Cola products annually.

“As one of our most beloved and deeply-rooted brands, any time the Coca-Cola system expands, it’s good news for the State of Georgia,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp. “I want to congratulate Coca-Cola UNITED on its plans to build this new, state-of-the-art facility. I am confident that our unrivaled workforce and expansive logistics network will ensure their continued success as they distribute Coca-Cola products throughout the Southeast from this new center in Tifton.”

Coca-Cola UNITED currently operates a smaller sales facility approximately 25 miles away in Sylvester. Once this new Tifton facility opens in late 2021, the Sylvester facility will close, and all Sylvester employees will work out of Tifton.

“Great things are happening in Tifton, Georgia, and we are excited to welcome Coca-Cola UNITED to Tifton as our newest corporate partner,” said Brian Marlowe, president and CEO of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce and the Tift County Development Authority. “Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and the company’s decision to build a state-of-the-art facility in Tifton speaks volumes about our pro-business environment and strategic location.”

Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Coca-Cola UNITED currently employs approximately 10,000 people in more than 60 facilities spanning Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.