DrinkPAK is stirring up the beverage industry with a Texas-sized expansion in Fort Worth. Two new facilities—one to the north, the other to the south—are set to cover more ground than 48 football fields (including all 96 end zones). They will mix, bottle, and ship beverages like energy drinks, sodas, and milk alternatives.
The California contract manufacturer of premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is expanding to North Texas. Its two new locations totaling roughly 2.8 million square feet of space in Fort Worth are a pour of growth that could result in 1,000 jobs by 2026.
“We’re thrilled to expand our advanced manufacturing organization in Fort Worth and look forward to creating new jobs, working with local businesses, and becoming an integral part of the community,” DrinkPAK CEO Nate Patena said in a statement.
One of the new DrinkPAK facility sites in Fort Worth [Photo: DrinkPAK]
The new sites will be located at the Trammell Crow development at 35 Eagle on Interstate 35W and Eagle Parkway in north Fort Worth, and at Carter Park East in south Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker called the company’s expansion a boon to “Fort Worth’s dynamic ecosystem of technologically-driven manufacturing companies.” The facilities will be in multiple jurisdictions, which all worked together to attract DrinkPAK.
CEO Patena said the city of Fort Worth, Denton County, and Tarrant County were “incredible partners in the process.”
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to build two new state-of-the-art facilities that will enable us to manufacture more high-quality drinks for the best brands in the world,” he added.
The Santa Clarita, California-based company said the new facilities will produce a variety of beverages, including energy drinks, sodas, waters, hard seltzers, canned cocktails, milk, and milk-alternative beverages such as canned cold brew and oat milk-based drinks.
What it means to the region
DrinkPAK said the move represents a significant milestone for both the company and for the region’s economic growth.
DrinkPAK operates one of the most technologically advanced canned beverage facilities in North America that has a 24/7 production capacity of 2.1 billion annual cans. With a dedicated workforce of roughly 550 employees, the company said it has earned a reputation for manufacturing high-quality beverages.
Along with the creation of roughly 1,000 full-time jobs, the proposed expansion will provide a substantial boost to the North Texas economy. DrinkPAK said it will hire local people for roles in production, batching, quality, maintenance, engineering, warehousing, and more. DrinkPAK will host career fairs and notify the community of available positions early next year, the company said.
“We extend a warm welcome and our sincere thanks to DrinkPAK as they embark on their expansion journey in Fort Worth.” Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have a company of DrinkPAK’s caliber choose North Texas as its new home. Their significant investment in our region, along with the creation of 1,000 new jobs, exemplifies their commitment to the growth and prosperity of our community.”
Denton County Judge Andy Eads said the jobs at DrinkPAK will pay well.
“We’re excited to welcome DrinkPAK to Denton County,” Eads said in a statement. “Their commitment to offering high-paying positions with an average annual salary of $70,000 meets one of our key initiatives for providing a strong quality of life for our residents in Denton County.”
Tarrant County Precinct 1 Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks also lauded DrinkPAK’s decision to locate in North Texas.
“DrinkPAK has committed to bring 1,000 jobs to North Texas by 2026,” Brooks said in a statement. “Not only are they bringing a significant number of jobs to Tarrant County, DrinkPAK is bringing jobs with good pay, good benefits, and state-of-the-art facilities. These are the types of jobs that will be a benefit to all of Tarrant County.”
Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.
Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.
R E A D N E X T
-
Tarleton State University received the go-ahead for a new biotechnology institute as part of Texas A&M-Fort Worth's burgeoning downtown research campus. Approved in mid-August by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the biotech institute is situated in one of the nation's fastest-growing life sciences hubs. "More than 5,000 biotechnology manufacturing and research and development firms — think Novartis, Alcon, AstraZeneca — call Texas home," according to the university. And DFW now ranks seventh in the U.S. for life science and biotech jobs. The Tarleton State Biotechnology Institute will focus on discovery and innovation in bioinformatics and computational modeling.…
-
Rhithm, a Dallas social-emotional learning and mental health startup, raised $4 million in a seed round last year for its emoji-based bio-social assessments app, which is now used by over 2,400 schools in 29 states, according to the company. One district that adopted the app is Fort Worth ISD—and it recently announced a change in how the app will be used.
-
A new marketing campaign from Visit Fort Worth is called "The Unexpected City"—and a very unexpected voice is at the heart of it: legendary Hollywood actor Jimmy Stewart. Stewart passed away in Beverly Hills back in 1997. So how could a 2023 ad campaign snag the voice of an actor who's been gone for decades? Well, doggone it, hold your horses and you'll find out.
-
The Fort Worth Local Development Corp. approved $500,000 over two years to create the Fort Worth Entrepreneurship Center. The center will be operated by The DEC Network in the city's Near Southside neighborhood, according to the Fort Worth Report.
