Champion Brands expanded its Jacksonville headquarters with a $6 million new building across the street from its warehouse and former offices on the Southside.
The new facility is three times as large at 36,000 square feet, the beverage distributor said. It is designed with rooftop solar panels and fully automated LED lighting and HVAC systems to minimize environmental impact. In the last few years the existing warehouse was retrofitted with solar panels and the truck fleet was converted to compressed natural gas.
The headquarters includes a new biergarten-themed outdoor work/play space outfitted with a large fire pit and two pergolas. There’s also an adjacent indoor/outdoor bar and onsite gym.
The workplace expansion comes as Champion Brands continues to add more distribution lines. Earl Benton, president and CEO, founded the company in 1985 when he bought Duval Beverage. Champion has grown from 80 employees to a little more than 300.