After years of delays, Red Bull’s long-hyped plant proposal in Cabarrus County is finally breaking ground. The manufacturer of energy drinks, along with Ball Corp. and Rauch North America as partners, is hosting a September 9 groundbreaking at its $1.5 billion beverage complex in Concord.
The build-out will transform the former Philip Morris cigarette factory into a state-of-the-art manufacturing, filling, and distribution campus taking up more than 2 million square feet. The campus, operating at full capacity, will produce up to 3 billion cans annually, making it one of the largest industrial investments in the region’s history.
Local officials characterize the project as a tremendous economic development success. “This is a project that brings great jobs and quality investment to the county,” said Brian Hiatt, interim executive director of the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corp. The plant will create as many as 700 jobs and come online in 2028, reaching maximum capacity by 2031.
Years in the making
The project has been years in the making. Red Bull and Rauch first came up with plans for the Concord plant in 2021 at a total investment of $740 million and 400 guaranteed positions. Ball Corp. followed just a few days later with an addition, investing more than $380 million and creating 220 positions. Incentive agreements were later raised as the companies raised the levels of investment with Red Bull now investing $424 million and Rauch $680 million. Combined, the three corporations’ investment grew to $1.5 billion, supported by more than $60 million of local grant funding.
The three firms purchased the 500-acre site at The Grounds in 2021 for $55 million. The deal was welcomed as the largest economic development deal in Cabarrus County history at the time, though it has since been surpassed by Eli Lilly’s $2 billion drug investment in the same industrial park.
Nevertheless, officials at the local level view Red Bull’s campus as a groundbreaking venture. In addition to the initial economic boost, the project establishes The Grounds at Concord as a hub of premium manufacturing and introduces a new era for what was once a tobacco-saturated location.
Red Bull’s $1.5B Beverage Plant in Concord: Project Factsheet
Key Project Details
Location: The Grounds at Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina
Groundbreaking: September 9, 2025
Site Size: 500 acres
Facility Size: More than 2 million square feet
Total Investment: $1.5 billion
Production Capacity: Up to 3 billion cans annually
Timeline
2021: Initial project announcement and site acquisition
2025: Groundbreaking ceremony (September 9)
2028: Operations expected to begin
2031: Full production capacity reached
Investment Breakdown
Red Bull: $424 million
Rauch North America: $680 million
Ball Corp: $380+ million
Site Acquisition (2021): $55 million
Local Grant Support: $60+ million
Employment Impact
Total Jobs Created: Up to 700
Initial Red Bull Commitment (2021): 400 jobs
Ball Corp. Commitment: 220 jobs
Project Partners
Red Bull
Lead partner and energy drink manufacturer
Primary investor in manufacturing operations
Rauch North America
Beverage manufacturing partner
Largest individual investor in the project
Ball Corp.
Packaging and canning operations
Joined project days after initial announcement
Project Evolution
The investment has grown substantially since initial announcement:
Original Plan (2021): $740 million investment, 400 jobs
Current Plan (2025): $1.5 billion investment, 700 jobs
Incentive agreements expanded multiple times to accommodate increased commitments
