Jacksonville-based Champion Brands Inc. plans a groundbreaking event for its new headquarters at 9 a.m. today at the site of its existing offices and distribution center.
The headquarters will be built at 5520 Florida Mining Blvd. S.
Features will include indoor and outdoor taprooms; solar rooftop and LED lighting; a gym with locker rooms; and meeting space for 250 people.
Sauer Inc. is listed in city records as the contractor for the 36,000-square-foot building on 6.02 acres at a construction cost of $6.2 million. HHC is the architect.
The city issued a site-work permit April 10.
Champion Brands describes itself as a malt beverage distributor serving six counties in Northeast Florida. It represents 62 domestic and foreign breweries and several local craft breweries and it represents Red Bull in Northeast Florida and 32 counties around Savannah.
CEO Earl Benton founded the company in 1985 when he bought Duval Beverage. Benton said the company has expanded from 80 employees to more than 300.
It built a 115,307-square-foot warehouse-distribution center and small prefabricated building at the Florida Mining Boulevard South site in 1988.
It moved to that site and became Champion Brands.
When the project is completed in February, Champion Brands intends to demolish the vacated office space for a 40,000-square-foot warehouse expansion.
The city issued a site work permit April 10.
Champion Brands distributes American and imported beer and other beverages.
Earl Benton founded the company in 1985 when he bought Duval Beverage.
It built a 115,307-square-foot warehouse-distribution center and small prefabricated building at the site in 1988. It moved to that site and became Champion Brands.
