Spartanburg Sees Major Job Growth as Keurig Dr. Pepper Invests $141 Million and New Companies Enter Market

Spartanburg Buzzes with New Investments from Keurig Dr. Pepper and Others

Hot off the press today, we have some exciting news to share! Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP), the popular beverage brand, has announced another round of substantial investments in their operations based in Upstate. They’ll be investing a whopping $141 million, which will bring about 84 new jobs to the region. These plans add to KDP’s previous growth in our very own Spartanburg. In fact, the company has, to date, invested over $620 million, which is hoped to create nearly 500 jobs. So far, they’ve hired 285 folks from the area, making a real impact on the local economy.

KDP’s New Site and Innovative Eco-Friendly Coffee Pods

The new investment will be directed towards a brand new KDP site, conveniently located on Moore Duncan Highway in Moore. Here, a team of skilled employees will manufacture an innovative new type of coffee pod, known as K-Rounds.

Introduced earlier in March, these K-Rounds aren’t your average coffee pods. They’re produced with pressed coffee grounds and feature a completely plant-based coating – free from plastic and aluminum. This makes them kinder to the environment, something that’s essential in our current ecological climate. What’s even better, is that a Keurig spokesperson has said the company is currently working towards making these K-Rounds fully compostable. Now, that’s what we call eco-friendly!

South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers, has praised this development, stating, “In South Carolina, we’re all about creating conditions that help agribusinesses innovate and thrive. With this new production facility, Keurig Dr Pepper is looking to the future, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

The Story So Far

KDP’s previous investments have been allocated towards their existing facility located on Anderson Mill Road. Employees there are kept busy roasting and packaging coffee for the classic plastic K-Cups. Initial work began in 2018, and the ground was officially broken in 2019. The brand initially invested $380 million into this state-of-the-art facility.

Fast-forward to October, 2023, and KDP was making headlines again. They announced yet another $100 million investment, which was expected to bring 250 new jobs by 2027. Keurig Dr Pepper’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, Roger Johnson, commented, “With this new investment, the KDP facility in Spartanburg will remain a key site representing our manufacturing and production innovation.”

Keurig Dr. Pepper Not Alone in Expanding Spartanburg’s Employment Opportunities

But that’s not all! KDP isn’t the only company investing in Spartanburg. Sheet metal leveler, ARKU, also announced its very first South Carolina operation in Spartanburg County last week. They’re planning on a multimillion-dollar investment that will yield around 10 new jobs in a facility located in Greer, which is expected to start operations this month.

So, it looks like some great opportunities are coming up for our folks here in Spartanburg. For more information about these exciting job opportunities, residents can check out the KDP’s and ARKU’s career websites.

These are exciting times in our city, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds. Let’s keep the momentum going!