Broccolini has started construction on a new 62,000-square-foot addition at Coke Canada Bottling's Brampton, Ont. facility. 

“We put together a team with GKC Architecture & Design and a bunch of people that we're familiar with and we helped Coke Canada Bottling put the whole concept together, and the project together, with their design team,” Broccolini vice-president of construction Ryan Visser told RENX.

Coke Canada Bottling’s 670,000-square-foot facility at 15 Westcreek Blvd. is its largest in the country and employs 1,300 people across a manufacturing facility, warehouse, distribution centre, customer solutions call centre and local sales centre.

The company, owned by the Tanenbaum and Bridgeman families, is making a $141-million investment in the expanded facility that will introduce a new state-of-the-art production line capable of producing at least 20 million additional cases annually.

The project is targeted for completion in late 2027.

Broccolini’s expansion into the agri-food sector

“The Broccolini family has been trying to expand into this agri-food area for quite some time and this is a perfect fit for us,” said Visser.

“We purposely focused on some food trade shows, and some other things, and worked with some architects to try to see where these things were going.”

One of Broccolini’s first ventures into the agri-food sector was its 379,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution centre in Oshawa, Ont., which is leased to Lactalis Canada for another 24 years, that opened in the fourth quarter of 2024. The building was sold to Pontegadea in an off-market deal for $187 million in June.

Operations continuing along with construction

The addition is being constructed alongside active manufacturing, distribution and logistics operations. The work is being carried out through careful phasing and precise coordination without interrupting production. 

“My team is directly involved with making sure that the lights stay on, the projects keep going, stuff's clean and CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is satisfied,” said Visser. 

“We're working through that entire existing facility, doing some upgrades and some new feeder lines that are going to feed into this new expansion.”

Broccolini has lots of experience with operational builds. Visser pointed out that the company is active in more than 20 e-commerce buildings that are operational and involved with mission-critical deliveries.

Visser said 20,000 square feet of storage space will also be built in addition to the 62,000 square feet of new production space in Brampton.

Coke Canada Bottling’s expansion

Coke Canada Bottling has more than 6,000 employees and operates in every province through its more than 50 sales and distribution centres and five manufacturing facilities.

The Brampton team makes, moves, and sells Coca-Cola brands, Monster Energy, A&W and Canada Dry products, and more.

The company has invested more than $230 million in its Brampton manufacturing and distribution operations since becoming an independent business eight years ago.

“We’re committed to growing in Brampton and building a future-ready, multi-generational business,” president Tony Chow said in a media release. “This expansion includes a state-of-the-art, technology-enabled can line that will increase local production capacity and help us bring beverage innovation to our customers faster. 

“By investing in the capacity, capabilities, and infrastructure needed to support our long-term growth, we’re strengthening our ability to serve our customers throughout Ontario and eastern Canada.”

Coke Canada Bottling opened a $75-million, 60,000-square-foot bottling plant in Calgary in January that featured its first-ever automated storage and retrieval system. 

The company also made an $8-million investment in its Hamilton, Ont. distribution centre last year.

Other Broccolini projects

There are approximately 23.6 million square feet of industrial, commercial, institutional and residential real estate either already developed or under development by Broccolini, which is headquartered in Montreal with offices in Toronto and Ottawa. It has a land bank of more than 2,500 acres in Canada.

The expansion of MDA Space’s approximately 160,000-square-foot assembly, integration and test facility — designed to support the growth of its satellite programs — is underway in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que. The multi-level addition also includes office spaces, mechanical mezzanines, staff amenities and a rooftop terrace.

Completion for Automann’s 333,363-square-foot logistics hub northwest of Toronto in Caledon is scheduled for late this year. The building is on a 14-acre site and features a 40-foot clear height, 27 dock doors, three drive-in doors, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and provisions for future rooftop solar panels to support long-term operational efficiency.

Construction started in the early spring on The Riv, a 37-storey mixed-use residential building with more than 350 rental units at 93 River St., between Queen and Dundas streets west of the Don River, in Toronto’s eastern downtown area. Construction is slated to be completed in April 2029.

“It's one of the few residential projects that's in the ground in downtown Toronto and at full pace,” said Visser. “We're also adding geothermal to that one, which is new in the space there as well.”