The Hershey Company will invest approximately $104 million to expand its manufacturing operations in Virginia, according to a statement released by Virginia’s governor Ralph Northam.
According to the statement, the investment will pay for the addition of an extra 111,000 square feet of production space at the company’s manufacturing site in Augusta County.
The expanded facility will be capable of manufacturing penuche and peanut cream, which will be distributed to other Hershey production facilities on the US East Coast.
The Hershey Company employs just over 1,000 people in Virginia, with the majority of these jobs located at the Augusta County facility, and approximately 65 new jobs will be created at the site as a result of the expansion.
Susanna Zhu, vice-president, US supply chain at The Hershey Company, said: “The Commonwealth of Virginia and Augusta County have been part of Hershey’s success for more than 35 years.
“We are pleased to build on this partnership with our plant expansion and continue to make Stuarts Draft a key to delighting consumers across the United States and around the world with our iconic products.”
Governor Northam added: “For more than thirty years, The Hershey Company has continued to grow in Augusta County, creating hundreds of jobs and setting the bar for a thriving food and beverage industry cluster in the Shenandoah Valley.
“The company’s economic contribution to Virginia cannot be overstated, and we look forward to many more years of success for Hershey with this major investment and the establishment of a new Roasting Center of Excellence.”
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