Mars has invested CAD 70 million ($52 million) in a 60,000-square-foot expansion of its chocolate manufacturing facility in Ontario.
The site in Newmarket will make and pack products under the Maltesers brand for the first time in North America, and brings together a range of manufacturing and packaging technologies from the company’s global facilities.
The expansion adds to Mars Canada’s significant presence in Ontario, where it also operates a manufacturing plant in the town of Bolton – 20 miles southwest of Newmarket. The investment will play a key role in supporting Mars chocolate’s growth in the region, and will create an additional 30 highly skilled jobs.
At peak capacity, the plant will employ 150 people in total, Mars said.
Jeremy Daveau, general manager of Wrigley Canada for Mars, said: “This expansion builds on Mars’ rich history in Canada and comes at an exciting time for our overall investment and growth in Canada. Our Newmarket facility is the ideal home for Maltesers, with access to a highly skilled workforce, close proximity to the US for export and potential for expansion.”
The announcement comes on the same day that Mars’ president, Fiona Dawson, warned the UK government and the European Union (EU) not to drop free trade agreements when the country makes its exit from the EU in two years’ time.
Maltesers are chocolate-covered balls with a crisp honeycomb centre, first created in England in more than 80 years ago.
In addition to Maltesers, Mars Chocolate currently produces the Mars, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers brands at its Newmarket facility, which is also nut-free.
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