Walla Walla beverage factory shuts down, puts 58 out of work

A global beverage company’s Walla Walla bottling and manufacturing plant is shutting down, putting 58 people out of work.

Refresco Beverages US Inc., a subsidiary of Netherlands-based Refresco, plans to halt manufacturing at the plant at 1164 Dell Ave. by May 2, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification provided to the state Employment Security Department. Also closing are the facility’s associated warehouses at 1102, 1104 and 1106 Dell Ave.

Additional closure and decommissioning will be completed by June 26. A reason for the closure was not provided.

“We have indeed made the difficult decision to close our Walla Walla facility. I’d like to emphasize that this decision comes after careful consideration and an extensive review of various factors regarding our manufacturing operations and our network,” a Refesco spokesperson said in a statement to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

“We deeply value the contributions of our employees and are committed to supporting them during this transition. Refresco will be providing comprehensive support and resources to the Walla Walla employees,” the spokesperson added.

Refresco operates 75 facilities across three continents to manufacture, bottle and ship beverages ranging from fruit juices to soft drinks, with annual revenue of $6.9 billion.

The company acquired the Walla Walla facility, formerly a Welch’s juice factory, years ago and also previously purchased a Kennewick beverage facility in 2018, which it shut down to consolidate its operations in Walla Walla.

3/6/2026 1:15 p.m.: This story was updated with a comment from a Refresco representative.