The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry
Lotus Bakeries has announced plans to invest at least €500 million in expanding global production capacity for its flagship Biscoff brand, marking the largest capital investment programme in the company's history.
The announcement came as the Belgian snacking group reported strong first-half 2026 results, driven by continued double-digit growth for Biscoff and its Natural Foods portfolio.
The five-year investment programme, spanning 2026 to 2030, will fund major capacity expansions at Biscoff manufacturing facilities in Belgium, the US and Thailand. The projects are designed to support rising global demand for the brand while increasing manufacturing flexibility across Europe & the Middle East, the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
The programme includes an expansion of the company's Mebane, North Carolina facility, where a new production hall for Biscoff cookies and spread is expected to come online by mid-2028, with additional capacity available in 2029.
In Thailand, Lotus Bakeries has already completed the first phase of its new Chonburi production plant and has begun work on a second production hall, with its first new production line scheduled to become operational before the end of 2027. Meanwhile, construction has started on a new production hall at the company's Lembeke site in Belgium following the receipt of all necessary permits.
Jan Boone, CEO of Lotus Bakeries, said: "We are committing to the largest Biscoff expansion programme in our company's history, investing at least €500 million across three continents between 2026 and 2030."
The announcement accompanies a strong financial performance for the first six months of 2026. Lotus Bakeries reported revenue of €749.1 million, up 14% year-on-year, while underlying operating profit increased 19.4% to €131 million. Net profit rose 23.5% to €98.1 million.
Biscoff remained the group's standout performer, with revenue and volume increasing by more than 20% during the period. The brand delivered broad-based growth across international markets, with Europe generating the largest absolute revenue increase. In the US, Biscoff continued to be the fastest-growing brand in both the cookies and spreads categories, with household penetration now exceeding 10%.
Lotus Bakeries also highlighted progress in its partnership with Mondelēz, which has expanded the range of Biscoff co-branded chocolate products to include Toblerone, Suchard, Freia and Marabou following earlier launches under Cadbury, Milka and Côte d'Or. The companies are also exploring additional co-branding opportunities involving Biscoff cookies layered with branded chocolate.
Beyond Biscoff, the group's Natural Foods division, including brands such as nākd., Trek, Bear and Kiddylicious, continued its strong performance, posting double-digit growth across all brands. In the UK, nākd. and Trek ranked among the top five cereal bar brands, while Bear continued to expand distribution in the US fruit snacking category.
Looking ahead, Lotus Bakeries expects to spend more than €250 million in capital expenditure across 2026 and 2027 as it accelerates its expansion plans.
