Facility Will Provide Support to Local Dairy Farmers, Has Created Approximately 380 New Full-Time Jobs.
Governor Kathy Hochul, The Coca-Cola Company and fairlife today celebrated the initial ramp up of production at the new, $650 million, state of the art, fairlife facility in the Town of Webster, Monroe County. The 745,000 square-foot facility, one of the largest dairy processing plants in the Northeast, will serve as fairlife’s flagship regional facility. The company selected New York following a personal pitch from Governor Hochul and the state’s world-renowned reputation as a global leader in the dairy industry. The facility will take in five to six million pounds of milk per day from New York dairy farmers and has already created approximately 380 new full-time jobs in the Town of Webster.
fairlife CEO Becca Kerr said, “Today we’re celebrating the continued scaling of production at our fairlife Webster facility. This facility reflects fairlife’s continued investment in delivering nutritious, great-tasting products to consumers while creating meaningful opportunities for the communities we call home. We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and our state, local and community partners for their support. During this early phase of production, this facility is helping meet growing consumer demand, supporting New York dairy farmers, creating approximately 380 full-time jobs and driving long-term economic growth across the region.”
New York State also provided $20 million through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation to help the Town of Webster upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. This financial assistance was crucial to helping the Town meet its critical wastewater infrastructure needs and support this transformative economic development project. Upgrades at the plant will help increase capacity for growing residential and industrial bases and make operations at the treatment plant more environmentally sustainable. The new investment builds on a $20 million FAST NY grant for Monroe County, announced in 2023 by Governor Hochul, for use at the site in Webster, allowing the county to upgrade the existing electrical infrastructure and enhance the region’s appeal to agribusiness and industrial machinery manufacturing.
Governor Hochul remains committed to addressing the need for additional agricultural capacity and supporting New York’s dairy farms. New York State has celebrated a number of recent major investments in the dairy manufacturing sector across the state, including this investment in fairlife, helping New York to continue to be the leading producer of milk in the Northeast. There are currently nearly 300 world-recognized dairy manufacturing plants across New York.
In addition, the New York dairy industry has received a significant boost over the last several years through the Governor’s Dairy Modernization Grant Program. Round 1 of the program included $21.6 million to the dairy industry in New York, helping New York’s dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives invest in new equipment, expand storage capacity and strengthen their operations. Another $8.5 million is now available through Round 2 of the program and Round 3, which was approved in the final 2026-27 Enacted Budget, will provide nearly $13 million to dairy farmers. Full details regarding project eligibility and directions to submit applications can be found at ffgrowthfund.org/dairymodernization.
Under the Governor’s leadership, New York State has dedicated record funding to programs such as the Climate Resilient Farming grant program and the Agricultural Non-Point Source Abatement and Control program that are helping New York farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change. The Governor has also secured an increase in the Investment Tax Credit and the Farm Workforce Retention Tax Credit and launched the new $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program for New York farmers.
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We are excited to see production underway at the Webster fairlife facility. We have so much to be proud of when it comes to New York agriculture and this is another major accomplishment to add to that list. I thank the Governor for her commitment to uplifting agriculture and supporting our dairy industry — from investments in processing capacity to infrastructure improvements, the support is unprecedented. I also thank ESD and all the partners involved for their hard work on this project and to the fairlife team for their dedication to New York and its dairy farmers.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Agribusiness is a cornerstone of the Empire State’s economy, and New York’s unmatched farm and dairy infrastructure, skilled workforce, and leadership in dairy production and research and development make our state a highly desirable place to build and grow a business. fairlife’s $650 million investment is a powerful vote of confidence in all that New York has to offer. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, ESD has built a strong, productive partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, and we’re proud that fairlife is choosing New York to put down roots, create hundreds of new jobs, support our dairy farmers and strengthen the Upstate economy for years to come.”
New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “fairlife’s launch of operations in Monroe County builds on New York’s longstanding leadership in agriculture and reflects a transformative investment in Monroe County. The project, supported by NYPA low-cost power, shows how strong public private partnerships can attract major employers and create hundreds of good jobs in upstate communities. We congratulate fairlife and The Coca Cola Company on reaching this important milestone and look forward to supporting their continued success in the Finger Lakes.”
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, “The fairlife facility demonstrates what we can accomplish when we combine private investment with skilled local workers, strong infrastructure and committed public partners. This once-in-a-generation investment for Monroe County is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs, strengthening New York’s dairy economy and bringing new momentum to our entire region. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for her advocacy in bringing fairlife to New York and for her continued investment in the infrastructure necessary to make this project possible.”
Town of Webster Supervisor Alex Scialdone said, “On behalf of the Town of Webster, I am proud to be a part of this historic moment in our region’s economic development. The fairlife project represents the intersection of Webster’s agricultural foundation and its innovative vision for the future. Our community eagerly anticipates the economic growth that this project will catalyze through its $650 million investment in our region and the hundreds of well-paying local jobs created as a result of fairlife establishing its newest facility here in Webster. The Town thanks Governor Hochul and New York State for their support — particularly for the $20 million in grant funding through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation for the necessary upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant — as our Town prepared for a facility of this magnitude. The Town of Webster is grateful for the State’s ongoing partnership in bolstering our area’s economic progress.”
Avangrid Deputy CEO and CEO of Networks Kim Harriman said, “This is exciting news for fairlife, New York and the greater Rochester region. Avangrid and RG&E are proud to be part of this important milestone, one that is already delivering meaningful benefits for local communities, supporting jobs, and strengthening the regional economy. This investment demonstrates the critical role infrastructure plays in attracting and enabling economic development. These investments also send a strong message that Upstate New York is a great place to do business, and we remain committed to partnering with communities to help support continued economic development across the region.”
Greater Rochester Enterprise President and CEO Matt Hurlbutt said, “We appreciate The Coca-Cola Company and fairlife’s investment in establishing this state-of-the-art production facility in Webster, NY. As initial production begins, we celebrate the incredible collaboration among the company and numerous state, county, utility and agricultural partners that made this $650 million investment a reality. Each time someone drinks a fairlife product, the entire region benefits. The GRE team remains committed to supporting fairlife’s growth plans in the Greater Rochester, NY, region.”
fairlife leverages ultra-filtration to create great tasting products with less sugar and more protein than traditional dairy beverages. fairlife offers a wide range of products including fairlife® ultra-filtered milk, Core Power® protein shakes, and fairlife® Nutrition shakes. The Coca-Cola Company has been a strategic partner to fairlife since it was launched in 2012 through the company’s ultimate acquisition of fairlife in 2020. For additional information about fairlife, visit fairlife.com.
Accelerating Economic Development in the Finger Lakes
Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information is available here.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.
About the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the NYS Dairy Industry
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets promotes New York State agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fosters agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguards the state’s food supply, land, and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agriculture industries. New York’s dairy industry is a critical sector of the state’s economy and as its leading agricultural sector, dairy accounts for approximately one-half of New York’s total agricultural income. New York State has nearly 2,700 dairy farms that produce over 16.6 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s fifth largest dairy state. New York’s unique and talented dairy producers and processors provide significant contributions to New York’s agriculture industry, the economy and to the health of our communities.
Be the first to comment