Major Dairy Expansion Brings Thousands in Investment to Ottawa County

COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — Coca-Cola's Fairlife brand is doubling down on Michigan with a $650 million expansion of its Coopersville dairy processing facility. The project will add 150 new jobs and bring 245,000 square feet of new production capacity to the Ottawa County community.

State Representative and dairy farmer Jerry Neyer announced the expansion, which represents one of two major dairy processing projects currently underway in West Michigan. The investment comes as consumer demand for lactose-free milk and ultra-filtered dairy products continues to grow.

Modernizing Infrastructure for Future Growth

The current dairy processing system serving Coopersville and nearby townships dates back more than 50 years and is already operating at approximately 80 percent of capacity, according to officials. The modernization effort will support not only Fairlife's expansion but also future food manufacturing and dairy processing investment across the region.

Construction is scheduled to begin later in 2026, with the new production lines expected to enter commercial operation in 2028.

Regional Benefits and Infrastructure Investment

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has approved $45 million in Strategic Site Readiness Program grants between the Fairlife and Chobani projects for water infrastructure improvements. Chobani has also received a $5 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

State Rep. Neyer emphasized that the communities will benefit from improved wastewater systems while providing local markets for the dairy industry. He noted that the infrastructure has been in place for 50 years and requires significant upgrades to handle the increased capacity.

"We have two major expansions going on the west side in Muskegon for dairy processing expansion for both Fairlife products and Chobani products," Neyer said.

Neyer is currently trying to secure additional funding in the current appropriation process to upgrade municipal infrastructure and expand its capacity for the projects.

Broader Dairy Investment in West Michigan

The Fairlife expansion is part of a larger trend of dairy investment in West Michigan. The Coca-Cola Company is investing $650 million for two production lines at its Fairlife facility in Coopersville to meet growing consumer demand for its lactose-free milk and protein shakes.

Meanwhile, Chobani has announced a multi-phase, $567 million expansion of its La Colombe plant in Norton Shores for its ready-to-drink lattes. These projects collectively represent more than $1 billion in dairy expansion projects in West Michigan.

The investments come as dairy farmer and state representative Jerry Neyer tells Brownfield Ag News that West Michigan is seeing significant growth in the dairy processing sector, with major facilities being modernized and expanded to meet increasing consumer demand for value-added dairy products.