Photo by Erin Nelson.
A gallon of Milo’s Famous Sweet Tea is seen on a countertop. Milo’s Tea has purchased a property at 126 Barber Court, part of the old Barber facility, and plans to renovate the facility in order to produce its assortment of beverages.
Milo’s Tea has purchased a property at 126 Barber Court, part of the old Barber facility, and plans to renovate the facility in order to produce its assortment of beverages.
The company is taking over the part of the facility which formerly produced milk, while Mayfield Ice Cream is still being produced at the plant. Milo’s plans to invest $58 million in the facility to make improvements and will start producing tea and lemonade at the plant.
The move is part of the company’s $175 million push across its three facilities in Alabama and Oklahoma to meet what it said is growing demand for its products. The company announced in November it is launching three new products: peach sweet tea, extra sweet tea and a sweet tea and lemonade mix, all packaged in Milo’s new 59-ounce carafe bottle.
“We are blessed with passionate fans who love our all-natural,
fresh-brewed teas and lemonade and are thrilled to offer new ways for people to enjoy Milo’s,” said Tricia Wallwork, CEO of Milo’s Tea Co. and granddaughter of founder Milo Carlton. “Just like we have done for the last 75 years, Milo’s will continue to expand, evolve and innovate our products and operations to consistently deliver natural, high-quality drinks our fans know are synonymous with the Milo’s brand.”
Wallwork said Milo’s ”may also add corporate offices and an innovation lab, among other amenities,” at a later date.
Milo’s plans to create 150 jobs at the Homewood facility over the next three years. A representative previously told the Homewood City Council the jobs would have an average annual salary of $45,000 and fully-funded health care, along with other benefits.
Coming back to Homewood is a special move, Wallwork told The Homewood Star.
“We’re thrilled to come back to Homewood where my parents first started bottling Milo’s Tea in gallon jugs back in the late 1980s,” Wallwork said. “Back then, they rented a small warehouse on Aquarius Drive overlooking the old Barber’s site, and I recall many summers in high school loading bottles on the line or doing other odd jobs in the plant. It is an honor that over three decades later our family business has the opportunity to return to Homewood to create a world-class manufacturing facility and amazing jobs for remarkable people with exceptional pay and benefits.”
The city of Homewood recently approved a tax incentive plan for the development. The package is for 10 years and includes the abatement of 100% of sales and use taxes paid to the city for construction-related materials, along with 90% of a portion of property tax dollars, with the other 10% remaining with the city.
The 90-10 split does not affect the current amount of property taxes received by the city on the facility, which is roughly $24,500 annually from both personal and real property tax. The city will continue to receive that amount. The split only impacts any increase to property taxes on top of that amount following any capital improvements made by Milo’s that raise the property value of the facility.
Milo’s must pay the full amount of property and sales taxes due to Homewood City Schools.
