fairlife’s Dairy Production and Distribution Facility, Arizona

fairlife plans to build a new dairy production and distribution facility in Arizona, US, to meet the increasing demand for its dairy products. Image courtesy of fairlife, LLC.

The new facility will produce fairlife line of ultra-filtered milk products. Image courtesy of fairlife, LLC.

The milk for the new facility will be sourced from dairy farmers in Goodyear. Image courtesy of fairlife, LLC.

fairlife is set to develop a dairy production and distribution facility in Arizona, US.

Expected to expand the company’s milk production capacities, the site will generate more than 140 jobs during construction and operation.

Construction plans for the facility were unveiled in April 2019. It is estimated to cost approximately $200m and scheduled to begin operations in 2020.

fairlife is a beverage company based in the US. Its patented cold-filtration process is claimed to filter natural milk to increase protein and calcium.

Location of fairlife’s dairy production and distribution facility

fairlife’s dairy production and distribution facility is being developed in the West Valley region of the Goodyear suburb in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona.

The site lies between Cotton Lane and Thomas Road in the Palm Valley 303 business park developed by Merit Partners. Spread across approximately 2,000 acres, the Palm Valley 303 corridor features 20 million squared feet of office, retail and industrial space.

The location was selected for is close proximity to the Interstate 10 and Arizona State Route 101 highways, as well as the Phoenix Goodyear Airport and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

fairlife’s dairy production and distribution facility details

With a floor area of 300,000ft², the facility will be equipped with advanced ultrafiltration technologies for the manufacture of milk products. These will be made using high-quality milk sourced from dairy farmers in Goodyear through the United Dairymen of Arizona (UDA).

The facility will incorporate energy efficient dairy equipment to reduce energy and water consumption. It will address the increasing demand for fairlife dairy products, including ultra-filtered milk, Core Power protein shakes, smart snacks, nutrition plan, and fairlife YUP! ultra-filtered milk.

Milk filtration process at fairlife’s facilities

fairlife’s milk flows through a chilling system that instantly cools the product to maintain freshness. The milk is then processed through soft filters to extract its nutritional value and remove sugars.

Five different filters are used to separate the water, minerals, lactose, protein and fat components of the milk, which are then recombined to produce ultra-filtered milk with improved taste and nutrition.

The milk is pasteurised at a high temperature for up to 20 seconds to extend its shelf life and then packaged in #7 category recyclable plastic bottles.

fairlife’s milk products are lactose-free and contain more calcium and protein, and less sugar compared to regular milk.

Arizona dairy industry

The dairy industry in Arizona supports 14,883 direct jobs and 28,024 indirect jobs through 100 dairy farms and eight production plants.

The economic impact of dairy products manufactured and sold in Arizona is $7.6bn, while the state’s dairy exports created $423m of economic impact in 2017.

fairlife’s new production facility is expected to further support the economic impact of dairy products in the state.

Marketing commentary on fairlife

Founded in 2012 by a partnership between The Coca-Cola Company and Select Milk Producers, fairlife produces and distributes a variety of nutrient-rich milk beverages in the US.

The company is based in Chicago, US, and operates a manufacturing and distribution facility in Coopersville, Michigan. fairlife’s products are made using milk supplied by 99 family owned dairy farms. The fairlife product line includes fairlife ultra-filtered milk, fairlife ultra-filtered milk with DHA Omega-3 fatty acids, fairlife YUP!, Core Power Original high-protein milkshakes, Core Power Elite high-protein milkshakes, fairlife smart snacks, and fairlife nutrition plan.

fairlife ultra-filtered milk and Core Power high-protein milk shakes are marketed across the US and Canada by The Coca-Cola Company.