USA – Swiss-based food manufacturing giant Nestle has unveiled plans to invest US$70 million in expanding its facility in Burlington, Food Business News has reported.
Lauren Rubbo, a spokesperson at Nestle said that the expansion will lead to the addition of four new lines, new technology and infrastructure designed for refrigerated cookie dough.
According to the report, the plant, which for many years produced candy bars such as 100 Grand, Nestle Crunch and Buncha Crunch, will be retooled to begin production of Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough.
The Burlington plant was not included in the sale when Nestlé sold its US confectionery business to the Ferrero Group in April 2018 and has since then been used for production of its ice cream, baking and beverage lines.
The sale of US confectionery business to Ferrero Group resulted in the the elimination of 34 jobs at the Burlington site, reducing the total employee count at the facility to 390.
The planned expansion however heralds new tidings to the people of Burlington as 100 additional positions are expected by 2022, according to the Nestle spokesperson.
Undercover snacks poised for further growth
Meanwhile, ‘Better-for-you’ chocolate snack maker Undercover Snacks has raised US$13.7 million as it looks to expand its operations and retail presence.
Established in 2017, Undercover Snacks offers an allergen-free portfolio of Chocolate Quinoa Crisps in a variety of flavours including dark chocolate and pomegranate, milk chocolate and currants, and seasonal variants such as dark chocolate and pumpkin spice, and milk chocolate and peppermint.
Undercover Snacks plans to use the capital from the funding round to fund new marketing initiatives to support its growing retail footprint, including collaborations with major retailers and product launch campaigns.
The company is also looking to double production capacity at its facility in New Jersey, with the installation of additional production lines and automations.
“We are incredibly excited to have the support of strong and savvy investment partners along with the resources to build Undercover into a preeminent, global, better-for-you snack brand,” said Diana Levy, founder, co-owner and CEO of Undercover Snacks.
“With this equity investment, we will expand our production facilities and invest in our product development, marketing and sale strategies in order to continue to bring innovative and crave-worthy snacks with favourable nutritional characteristics to the market.”
The snack manufacturer plans to continue rolling out new products and grow the management team.
According to Undercover Snacks, the company doubled its distribution in June 2021 to over 10,000 retail locations across North America, plus additional retailers in an expanding number of countries overseas.
The snack company is also interested in growing its presence in alternative channels including corporate offices, airlines, entertainment venues, and foodservice sectors.
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