COMMERCE, Ga. — Pepsi officials grabbed a pair of giant golden scissors Thursday and cut a ribbon between cans to celebrate a new building that will bring more beverage products to Georgia.
PepsiCo opened its new $8.5 million warehouse and distribution facility in Commerce with its iconic red, white and blue decorating the outside of its 172,000-square-foot building.
The full-scale distribution center is expected to create at least 50 new jobs. Facility managers said around six million cases of beverages will come from the building serving Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Bubly, Aquafina and Pure Leaf throughout the year. The distribution center will supply 26 routes to customers in 28 counties, according to the company, widening its reach in areas such as Gainesville, Rome, Athens, Stone Mountain and Atlanta.
“We are excited to welcome PepsiCo, one of the leading national brands, as the newest corporate citizen of Commerce,” said Commerce Mayor Clark Hill III in a news release. “We appreciate the investment in our city and in the lives of our residents.”
This announcement builds on the $260 million expansion of Pepsi's manufacturing facility in Tucker earlier this year. In the span of three years, Pepsi has committed $268 million of capital in the State of Georgia. PepsiCo currently employs 3,450 people across Georgia, a spokesperson with the company said.
