Manna Capital Partners announced plans this morning to invest almost $600 million to build a beverage production and distribution center in Montgomery.

Manna Capital Partners, based in Louisville, Ky., said the Manna Beverages & Ventures “beverage park” will create 280 full-time jobs.

Gov. Kay Ivey and Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed joined Manna co-founder Ulysses L. “Junior” Bridgeman for the announcement. Bridgeman, a former NBA star with the Milwaukee Bucks, said the 1.7 million square foot facility would sit on a 180-acre site at the Hope Hull exit on Interstate 65.

Bridgeman said if everything goes as planned he expects the first bottles and cans to come off the lines in early 2025.

Manna Capital Partners, founded by Bridgeman and Kevin Attkisson, concentrates on investment and acquisition possibilities across multiple industries, with an emphasis on sustainability and creating opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses, according to a press release from the Montgomery Chamber.

“Manna’s significant investment in Montgomery and its commitment to supporting under-represented enterprises make the company a welcome addition to Alabama’s business community,” Ivey said in the press release. “I know Manna’s leadership will find all the ingredients they need for success in our state and look forward to seeing how their growth plans unfold.”

According to the press release, MB&V selected Montgomery because of the state’s dedication to sustainable supply chain development, and the fast, direct access the location provides to Southeast markets.

“Our goal is to be the leading total beverage supply chain company in North America while operating with the highest quality, sustainable capabilities needed to produce beverages for world-class brand owners,” Bridgeman said. “MB&V fills the gap for major brands who want to be asset light, nimble and make a difference in their communities by hiring minority and women-owned businesses.”

Bridgeman said that during the process of selecting a site, the people his company dealt with from Montgomery made the difference.

“When we looked at various cities and people tried to lure us into various cities, what made it for Montgomery was really the people we met,” Bridgeman said. “They were genuine in their love for the city and what they were trying to do to help us.”

Reed said Manna Capital Partners is the kind of company the city wants to recruit.

“As a community committed to closing the racial wealth gap, Montgomery is proud to partner with an entity like Manna Beverages & Ventures,” Reed said in a press release. “Not only will they be an asset to world-class brand owners, but they will continue to invest in sustainability and impact-oriented opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses.”

The Manna Beverages & Ventures (MB&V) facility will include a research and development center with a bottling line to give entrepreneurs a place to test new products, with a focus on women-owned and minority businesses, the press release from the Montgomery Chamber said.

MB&V intends to be a full-service supply chain partner for national and regional brands and focus on startups, the press release said. It will offer beverage companies a comprehensive packaging platform and warehousing.