McLean, Virginia-based Mars Inc. will invest $237 million to build a new bakery facility in Salt Lake City for its Nature’s Bakery snack bar brand.
The candy and pet care giant acquired healthy nut snack bar maker Kind North America in 2020, shortly after Kind acquired Nature’s Bakery.
Reno, Nevada-based Nature’s Bakery was founded in 2011. It is now the eighth bestselling — and fastest-growing — snack bar brand. Its plant-based, dairy- and nut-free snacks are sold nationwide.
Mars said the new 339,000-square-foot bakery in Utah will create more than 190 jobs. The new facility will open in 2025.
“This investment marks a significant milestone in our brand’s ability to drive greater capacity to meet growing consumer and retail demand,” said Steve Gardiner, CEO of Nature’s Bakery.
It is the latest acquisition for Mars, which has expanded well beyond M&M’s and Skittles.
Mars further cemented its position as a leader in pet care with a $1.3 billion acquisition of veterinary diagnostic company Heska last year. Its pet food brands include Pedigree and Royal Canin. It also owns pet other pet health companies, including Banfield Pet Hospitals.
It also acquired Kevin’s Natural Foods for $800 million in 2023.
Mars, with $50 billion in annual revenue and 125,000 employees globally, is the largest privately held company headquartered in the D.C. region.
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