Kerry, a global player in taste and sustainable nutrition, officially opened its coffee extraction facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the company’s first manufacturing site in the state. Kerry marked the opening on 30 September with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that brought together customers, industry partners, government representatives, and community leaders for guided facility tours and product tastings.

Kerry executives and community representatives present at the Bethlehem opening on 30 September: included Kevin Ryan, head of East Coast, Enterprise Ireland; Gerald Ansley, Counsel General; Tara Zrinski, county executive, Northampton County; and Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.

With plans first announced in September 2025, the new facility, formerly owned by tea supplier, Martin Bauer, will specialise in coffee roasting and extraction, enabling Kerry to deliver a broader range of coffee solutions across a variety of applications including, but not limited to, beverage, dairy, and foodservice. The plant will develop natural coffee taste and flavour profiles using advanced extraction and concentration technologies to create premium coffee solutions tailored to each customer’s formulation, from ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee beverages to alcoholic drinks, ice cream and savory sauces. The facility increases Kerry’s overall coffee extraction capabilities significantly, with independent hot and cold brew extraction lines designed to scale as demand grows.

By enhancing its coffee manufacturing capabilities, Kerry is positioning itself to deliver greater value, speed, and flexibility to customers across North America and beyond. The Bethlehem plant, which will serve as the main coffee extraction site for Kerry’s global operations, has the capacity to produce 12 million pounds of roasted coffee per year.

“The opening of our Bethlehem facility is an important milestone for our coffee business in North America,” said John Cahalane, president & CEO of Kerry North America. “It brings additional capacity and advanced processing capabilities closer to customers on the East Coast, helping them respond quickly to changing consumer preferences across hot and cold coffee. Just as importantly, it gives us greater flexibility to develop high-quality coffee experiences while identifying opportunities to reduce supply chain complexity and environmental impact.”

The Bethlehem facility opens as US demand for premium coffee continues to grow. According to new data from the National Coffee Association, 48% of American adults drank specialty coffee in the past day, outpacing traditional coffee (39%), and setting a record high. With taste driving competition in branded coffee, the new facility enables Kerry to deliver to its customers premium, fresh-brewed flavour that remains shelf-stable without refrigeration.

During a tour, Kerry executives shared that the facility applies the company’s proprietary extraction and thermal processing technologies, including:

• Premium, Tailored Coffee Profiles: Advanced roasting, extraction, concentration and processing technologies that enable Kerry to craft natural, formulation-specific coffee ingredients with consistent, true-to-bean flavour and aroma.
• Cost Efficiency and Menu Versatility: Allows foodservice operators to launch full craft coffee programs – including iced lattes, espresso-style drinks, cold brew and functional beverages – without barista training or capital investment in equipment.
• Built to Scale Using Lower-Carbon Operations: Expansion-ready production capabilities allow Kerry to increase output as customer demand grows, while High-Brix concentration (23–30 Brix) and ambient shipping cut water transport and carbon versus refrigerated alternatives.

The new facility is energy efficient, which Kerry executives noted that this site generates 61% lower carbon through the use of Direct Concentrated Fresh (DCF) beans, 40% lower carbon compared to competitor conventional coffee offerings, and 34% lower carbon compared to refrigerated Brix products.

The Bethlehem facility will use natural, sustainably sourced ingredients aligned with USDA Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Café Femenino standards that support producer communities and environmental stewardship. Kerry’s Beyond the Horizon commitment actively champions certified, ethical and sustainable sourcing standards and developing solutions that are better for people, planet and society.