Japan’s Morinaga set for $130 million strategic investment in US factory
Morinaga's Mebane, North Carolina factory is set to open in January 2027. Pic: Morinaga
Japanese-founded confectionery business Morinaga & Co has made a major investment totalling more than $130 into a second US manufacturing plant in Mebane, North Carolina, reports Neill Barston.
As the business explained, its significant move comes in support of developing its core Hi-Chew fruit sweets series that has gained a notable market category share in America.
According to the firm, which opened its first US production facility in 2015, the new site will begin construction in October 2024, with an intention to have it operational by January 2027.
The factory’s development creates over 200 career opportunities for the Orange County, North Carolina community with various positions across production, quality assurance, maintenance and support staff.
Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, welcomed the investment into its key series, which is made from concentrated fruit juice and is also gluten free.
He said: “Hi-Chew has been steadfast in growing its market share in the U.S. non-chocolate candy category and has achieved 20% year-over-year growth since 2018.
“With this tremendous brand growth year over year, we are eager to maximise our production output to continue providing new, innovative HI-CHEW products to consumers and brand fans nationwide.”
As the business added, the existing North Carolina factory, which began operations in 2015, manufactures the majority of Hi-Chew flavours for North American distribution, with over two billion pieces of the brand produced yearly.
With the addition of the new 132,633 sq. foot factory, the company will be able to produce hundreds of tons of its core candies every year to satisfy dedicated brand fans and consumers alike.
Furthermore, the flagship brand continues to grow steadily among U.S. consumers as a fan favourite due to its unique and wide-ranging flavour offerings, including various packaging formats and new textures.
With over 50 flavours available in the U.S., the brand has continued its considerable rise in the region.
As a company, its origins began more than century ago when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy-making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s.
Its core Hi-Chew series has been regarded as the best selling soft candy in Japan, and has reported year-on-year growth throughout Asia and the US.
