April 30. A single-serve cold beverage maker that will set up operations in Cornelius has landed a $100 million investment from China. Sprizzi Drink-Co. plans to distribute “flavor bullets” from the old Michael Waltrip Raceworld facility on Liverpool.

Back in December, the Lake Norman Economic Development Corp. announced that Sprizzi would open a distribution center in Cornelius, with “production running by March and be fully-operating within two years.”

The announcement then included 250 new jobs, with main production room will have the capacity for 28 production lines. Each line was projected to produce 20 million flavor bullets per year, resulting in an annual production
of over 500 million flavor bullets.

The company, which is based in Colton, Ca., plans to tap into the trend toward green products by decreasing the amount of un-recyclable waste and diminishing their carbon footprint.

A Chinese government official said Sprizzi’s model and products are “exactly what we’ve been looking for.” With typical beverages being 84 percent water, Sprizzi’s “flavor bullets” dramatically simplify the logistics of beverage transportation and packaging.

Today’s announcement was made by a Miami, Fla., public relations company.

An account director there said the Cornelius location would open soon, although the “N.C. facility is not part of the new $100 million investment.”

Over the course of five years, the $100 million investment will include a 60,000 square foot manufacturing warehouse in Rugao, China.

The investment will also take the form of tax credits, a cash fund for innovation awards, letters of credit to vendors, loans for equipment, tax breaks and various government cash grants. Funds will also be used for building a bullet-filling factory in Rugao as well. In addition to the international investor, SPRiZZi Drink-Co. has received funding from strategic partners for global licensings, angel investors and is currently in talks with several other partners and independent investors.

“This is by far, the most disruptive product to come to market in the beverage industry,” said SPRiZZi Drink-Co. president and CEO, Michael Breault.

“Not only are we helping the environment, but with how fast we are growing, we will be able to help people as well. We deem ourselves an ever growing brand with new facilities, machinery and positions that will offer increased opportunities in states such as North Carolina, where SPRiZZi Drink-Co. has another manufacturing facility that will employ over 200 people,” he says.

SPRiZZi Drink-Co.’s beverage dispenser can bring a variety of  beverages and flavors into the home or office. The system relies on a CO2 canister and filtered water to produce a beverage.

SPRiZZi Drink-Co., founded by Michael and Mark Breault, collects revenue on the purchases of SPRiZZi Drink-Co. cold drink machines and flavor bullets. More info: http://sprizzi.com