Champion Brands Expands in Jacksonville
Jacksonville-based malt beverage distributor, Champion Brands, broke ground this morning at the site of their new corporate headquarters on Jacksonville’s Southside. The new headquarters, which will be completed in February 2019, will be 38,000 square feet – nearly five times the size of its current space. The current headquarter location will be demolished and replaced with a 40,000 square-foot warehouse.
The distributor of brands like Coors, Red Bull, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Abita and others is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint. In 2015, Champion Brands opened the first public compressed natural gas (CNG) station in Jacksonville and began converting its fleet to CNG trucks. Two years later, it installed the largest solar panel system in the city, receiving 20 percent of its power from 340 photovoltaic roof panels.
The new location will continue with Champion Brands’ dedication to being green. Solar panels will be added to the roof of the new facility and, with 95 percent of CNG trucks in the company’s fleet currently, the goal is to be at 100 percent by next year.
Champion Brands’ CEO Earl Benton is focused on the company’s future and Jacksonville. “We’re excited to be a part of Jacksonville’s continued growth,” said Benton. Founded in 1985, Champion Brands has more than 300 employees, handles 1,500 products and more than 60 suppliers worldwide.