Red Bull Kicks Off Construction on $1.5B Drink Factory in Concord

Work started recently on a massive drink-making center in Concord, North Carolina. Three companies - Red Bull, Rauch North America, and Ball Corporation - joined forces on this $1.5 billion project. Once running, the site will make up to 3 billion cans yearly and add 700 local jobs.

"This is a project that brings great jobs and good investment to the county," said Brian Hiatt, interim executive director of the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corp., according to The Charlotte Observer.

The site, known as The Grounds at Concord, sits where workers once made Philip Morris cigarettes. Now it will house drink-making and shipping operations by Red Bull and Rauch. Next door, Ball Corp. plans an 800,000-square-foot building to make cans.

Machines won't start running until 2028. The site should hit its peak output by 2031. Back in 2021, the companies spent $55 million for the 500-acre plot.

The price tag jumped from $1.1 billion since first announced. Rauch will spend $680 million on filling cans. Red Bull's shipping center costs $424 million. Ball Corporation needs $383 million for its can-making plant.

The city sweetened the deal with cash. Red Bull gets $24 million in grants. Rauch scored $37.2 million from both Concord and Cabarrus County.

An Austrian named Dietrich Mateschitz started Red Bull in 1987, creating the first drink of its kind. Last year, people bought more than 12 billion cans worldwide. Sales hit $11.7 billion, beating 2023 by 6.4%.

Austrian-based Rauch Fruchtsäfte owns Rauch North America. They fill drinks for other companies, including Red Bull, at their Arizona plant.

Ball Corporation makes cans and recyclable containers from Colorado. Since 1880, they've been in business: you might know their “Ball” mason jars.