Cheerwine to double its workforce near Charlotte and add 100 jobs at $7M plant
A Cheerwine soda bottling company is planning to double its workforce with the purchase of a packaging facility near its headquarters, according to the Rowan County Economic Development Council.
Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co. acquired the property at 1302 N. Salisbury Ave. for $7 million in April, according to Rowan County property records. The company will add 100 more workers to the area, bringing its local total to 200. Piedmont is a sister company of Cheerwine, the popular soda brand.
Plans for the property will combine Salisbury and the company’s Greensboro distribution operations into the new facility, the Charlotte Business Journal reported. The Greensboro distribution facility will close, and 100 workers will be transferred to the new facility by the end of the year.
Charlotte-based real estate firm Trinity Partners announced the sale of the property in early May, according to a news release.
The 176,000-square-foot building in the Charlotte region was previously used by Lake County, Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America. In October, PCA announced plans to end operations at the site, and more than 100 people were laid off in December, The Charlotte Observer reported.
PCA plans to fully vacate the space this fall. Packaging Corp. is one of the largest producers of containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the U.S., according to the company’s website.
Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co. plans to use the space for distribution operations and explore other bottling capabilities, according to Trinity Partners.
The 18.6-acre property is centrally positioned within the company’s distribution network and provides space to support growth, CEO Cliff Ritchie told Trinity Partners. Located near Interstate 85, the facility provides direct access to Charlotte, Greensboro, major ports and regional distribution networks.
Carolina Beverage Corp., the parent company of the bottling company, did not respond to requests for comment Thursday morning.
More on Cheerwine and the Carolina Beverage Corp.
Cheerwine is a 109-year-old cherry soda created in Salisbury.
Founder L.D. Peeler started the business during a sugar shortage after meeting a St. Louis salesman who sold him a wild cherry-flavored drink, according to the company’s website.
Cheerwine is owned by Carolina Beverage Corp., which holds the brand, trademark and secret cherry-flavored formula. Its subsidiary, Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co., handles production and regional distribution.
Carolina Beverage is headquartered at 1413 Jake Alexander Blvd. S. in Salisbury and employs between 200 and 500 people, according to its LinkedIn page.
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 12:44 PM.
