Nick’s healthier snacking group opens multi-million North Macedonian manufacturing site
pic: Nick's
Swedish-founded food-tech firm Nick’s, specialising in no-added-sugar snacking series, has confirmed a major move in opening its new €6 million purpose-built factory in Bitola, North Macedonia, reports Neill Barston.
As the company explained to Confectionery Production, it has been manufacturing its range of bars, sweeteners, and ice cream ingredients in-house at its Southeastern Europe regional site since 2018, but it had outgrown its previous two factories.
The investment in its advanced new facilities will enable the company to deliver over 40 million confectionery and protein bars a year. According to the business, due to the rate of sales growth in both Europe and the US (where it recently appeared at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago), the firm already has plans in place to grow the factory and increase capacity.
An official inauguration of the factory was held in Bitola recently, watched by over 100 Nick’s employees and their families, representatives from suppliers and banks, the Mayor of Bitola, and the Swedish Ambassador to North Macedonia. It marks a notable chapter in the company’s expansion, having been created in Stockholm by Niclas Luthman and Carl Backlund in 2017, who have witnessed considerable growth for the business over the past five years.
Stefan Lagerqvist, CEO of Nick’s, comments: “We are delighted by the sustained growth of our company globally, and the impressive work from our North Macedonian colleagues to support that global growth in the opening of a new factory. The quality and commitment of our team internationally is unprecedented and I’m proud that our continued investments in Bitola continue to create new jobs locally.
“Our good relationship with local authorities and the team on the ground in North Macedonia has created a superb foundation for future production expansion. With our current growth trajectory, it’s just a matter of time until we need to start installing new lines in the factory.”
