Japan’s Morinaga delivers global expansion with second US factory
Morinaga has opened its second factory in the US, in Mebane, North Carolina. Pic: Morinaga
A significant milestone has been marked by Morinaga & Co, as the business celebrated the opening of a key second manufacturing facility for its flagship Hi-Chew candy series in the US, writes Neill Barston.
The new factory at Mebane, North Carolina, builds on the success of the company’s presence in the region, which began with constructing its original operations in the region back in 2015. Notably, this was the company’s first production location outside of Asia.
Moreover, the company is set to make a return to Sweets and Snacks Expo in Las Vegas next month, between 19-21 May, as the company continues to cement its place in the region’s market (Exhibiting in the event’s main hall, at the city’s convention centre, booth 5005).
As the business explained, its new site, which is expected to be completed this October, will focus on its Hi-Chew brand, and has been developed in response to a reported surge in consumer demand as well as the need for the company to continue innovating manufacturing processes.
The celebration for the Mebane site involved Morinaga leadership, local and state officials, and community partners for a ceremonial ribbon cutting on April 21, including Emily Smith, American QA Manager, who welcomed attendees and recognized the ongoing support of the Mebane community.
The official ribbon cutting was conducted by Shinya Mori, President COO of Morinaga & Co., Ltd.; Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc.; Teruo Fukushima, President & CEO of Morinaga America Foods Inc.; Jean Hamilton from the Orange County Board of Commissioners; Kenichi Matsuda, Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta; Ed Hooks, Mayor of Mebane; and North Carolina Governor Josh Stein.
Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc, commented on the development of the site: “The opening of this new facility marks an exciting new chapter for our company, especially as Hi-Chew brand fans continue to grow across the United States.
“This expansion will allow Hi-Chew to scale its operations while creating a bigger opportunity for our Research & Development team to experiment with new crave-worthy flavors. We’re proud to continue investing in the Mebane community and work together to create a future filled with more fun, flavourful moments.”
As the company confirmed, its second facility spans more than 132,000 square feet, the new factory represents an investment of more than $130 million and is expected to create approximately 200 new career opportunities for the Orange County, North Carolina area.
The additional factory is anticipated to produce a further 1.2 billion Hi-Chew chewlets annually across the brand’s portfolio of peg bags and stand up pouches.
In 2015, Morinaga America, Inc. opened its first United States manufacturing facility in North Carolina, which marked the first production facility outside of Asia. The factory enabled the brand to produce millions of chewlets per day, supply the majority of HI-CHEW® products for the North American market, and support approximately 20% annual consumer growth.
HI-CHEW® products are available at retailers nationwide and are made with concentrated fruit juices, natural and artificial flavors, and contains no colors from synthetic sources. HI-CHEW® is also gluten-free. To learn more about HI-CHEW®, visit HI-CHEW.com , like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and TikTok (@HICHEWUSA)
