Bepensa Invests MX$1.2 Billion in Yucatan Beverage Plant

Summary: Bepensa Bebidas invested more than MX$1.2 billion in Planta Centenario Valladolid in Yucatan, increasing its capacity for 100% returnable carbonated products by 30% and adding more than 200 direct jobs. The facility strengthens beverage manufacturing and distribution across the Yucatan Peninsula while integrating Industry 4.0 automation, artificial intelligence, water-management systems and electric vehicles, reflecting broader investment by Mexico’s beverage sector in capacity, technology and sustainability. 

Bepensa Bebidas and the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry inaugurated Planta Centenario Valladolid in Yucatan following an investment of more than MX$1.2 billion, expanding the bottler’s capacity for 100% returnable carbonated products by 30% and strengthening beverage distribution across the Yucatan Peninsula.

The facility, located in Valladolid, will supply approximately 25% of current beverage demand in the peninsula and create more than 200 direct jobs. The project also expands Bepensa’s manufacturing and logistics capabilities as beverage companies increase investment in production infrastructure, automation, distribution and sustainability across Mexico.

The plant’s inauguration comes as Bepensa marks 80 years of operations and the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry celebrates 100 years in the country. It is also part of the Coca-Cola system’s broader investment commitment of US$6 billion in Mexico, covering manufacturing, distribution and commercialization. 

Valladolid Plant Expands Regional Beverage Capacity

The new facility gives Bepensa additional capacity to serve customers in Yucatan and Quintana Roo while strengthening its distribution network from Valladolid. The project was developed in approximately 18 months and covers more than 130,000 m2 within a 380,000 m2 property.

From the facility, Bepensa serves more than 1,900 customers through 29 distribution routes and manages more than 950 orders per day. The company said the investment will help meet demand from customers and consumers across the peninsula while supporting the expansion of its regional operations.

Alonso Gasque Toraya, CEO of Grupo Bepensa, highlighted the plant’s role in strengthening the company’s ability to serve markets in Yucatan and Quintana Roo. Louis Balat, President of Coca-Cola Mexico, said the project reflects the beverage system’s long-term commitment to continued investment in the country.

The regional expansion illustrates how beverage manufacturers and bottlers are combining production investments with distribution infrastructure to improve supply capacity closer to end markets. 

Automation And Industry 4.0 Support Production

Beyond increasing capacity, Planta Centenario Valladolid incorporates automation and digital technologies intended to improve production efficiency and operational monitoring. The facility was designed according to Industry 4.0 standards and operates a fully automated production line.

The line has an average production speed of more than 30,000 bottles per hour, while digital monitoring systems provide real-time visibility into operations. Bepensa has also incorporated artificial intelligence tools focused on operational safety, adding digital capabilities to the plant’s manufacturing processes.

The use of automation reflects a broader shift among Mexico’s food and beverage manufacturers toward technology-enabled production. Companies are investing in automated equipment, digital monitoring and data-driven processes to increase output while maintaining operational controls and improving supply-chain performance.

For Bepensa, the combination of additional production capacity and digital infrastructure allows the Valladolid facility to serve as both a manufacturing and distribution platform for the peninsula. 

Sustainability Features Extend Beyond Production

The investment also incorporates water-management and electrification measures as beverage companies face increasing pressure to reduce resource consumption and emissions throughout their operations.

Planta Centenario Valladolid includes wastewater treatment infrastructure, rainwater collection and reverse-osmosis technology. These systems are intended to support water management within the production process and reduce the facility’s reliance on external water resources.

The plant will also incorporate electric vehicles into its associated fleet. Approximately 10% of the fleet will be electric, including forklifts, utility vehicles and delivery trucks.

These measures place resource efficiency and fleet electrification alongside production expansion, reflecting the growing integration of sustainability objectives into manufacturing and distribution investments in Mexico’s consumer-goods sector. 

Coca-Cola Bottlers Expand Mexico Investments

Bepensa’s investment comes amid broader capital spending by Coca-Cola bottlers in Mexico, with companies directing funds toward production capacity, logistics infrastructure, digitalization and sustainability.

Arca Continental, another major Coca-Cola bottler, announced an MX$18.5 billion investment program for 2026, equivalent to approximately US$1 billion. Half of the planned capital expenditure is expected to be allocated to Mexico, with the remainder directed toward operations in the United States, Ecuador, Peru and northern Argentina, reported MBN. 

The company said its 2026 investment program will focus primarily on production and distribution infrastructure, digital tools, new beverage categories and sustainability initiatives. Arca Continental serves more than 130 million people across its markets in the Americas. 

Investment Supports Mexico’s Beverage Supply Chain

Bepensa’s Valladolid facility adds production capacity in southeastern Mexico while improving the regional supply infrastructure required to serve growing beverage demand. Its focus on returnable carbonated products also strengthens the company’s capacity in a segment linked to packaging reuse.

For the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry, the project forms part of a larger strategy to expand manufacturing and distribution capabilities as the system reaches its centennial in Mexico. For Bepensa, the investment provides additional production capacity, jobs and logistics infrastructure in Yucatan.

As beverage bottlers continue investing in automation, regional distribution and sustainability, projects such as Planta Centenario Valladolid are reshaping the infrastructure supporting Mexico’s food and beverage supply chain.