Nature’s Bakery, part of the Mars Inc. family of brands, celebrated the opening of its new baking facility July 30 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The $240 million investment marks a significant milestone in the brand’s ongoing expansion and commitment to delivering wholesome snacks to families across the U.S.
The 339,000-square-foot site gives Nature’s Bakery the space to grow, with the ability to produce more than 1 billion bars each year. It also brings more than 230 new jobs to the region, supporting the local community while helping meet the rising demand for Nature’s Bakery products from families nationwide.
“The biggest step we can take to meet our growth goals is making more of the snacks people love, and this new baking facility helps us do exactly that,” said Steve Gardiner, CEO of Nature’s Bakery.
“It gives us the space to grow today and tomorrow, while letting us bake even more efficiently and with even higher quality. Most importantly, it allows us to keep delivering wholesome, feel-good snacks to more families across the country, wherever and whenever they need them.”
Mars acquired Nature’s Bakery in March 2021, and since then, the brand is on pace to more than double its size from 2020 to now.
“The snacking category continues to grow in importance in the U.S. as consumers’ tastes and preferences evolve, and at Mars, we’re focused on accelerating innovation that will shape the future of snacking,” said Blas Maquivar, global president of health and wellness division.
“The Mars local investment in the new Salt Lake City-based Nature’s Bakery facility will enable us to expand the reach of our health and wellness brand, strengthening our focus and introducing more consumers to our better-for-you offering.”
Strategically located in Salt Lake City’s Mountain West neighborhood, the new site helps improve national distribution and reduces delivery distances to retailers. The new bakery facility is LEED Silver-certified and is expected to lower trucking-related CO₂ emissions by an estimated 5,700 tons annually. The facility also features smart automation, including innovative systems for ingredient delivery, mixing and cooling. These advancements allow Nature’s Bakery to not only enhance food safety and consistency but also evolve many manual roles into higher-skilled positions, creating greater opportunities for long-term career development for associates.
In the United States, Mars has a presence in 49 states, has more than 70,000 employees and operates 38 factories in addition to veterinary clinics, labs and 16 global and regional offices.
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