The Belgium-based nutrition bar company is expanding its manufacturing and packaging facility in McMinnville, which will add more than 200 jobs to the operation.
EMPWR Nutrition, a snack bar manufacturing and packaging company, received a $1 million grant from the state’s Strategic Reserve Fund to support plans to add 85,000 square feet to its current facility, according to a news release. It is said that The company announced last year that it had spent $20 million on expansion.
The company landed in McMinnville in early 2022 after acquiring the manufacturing facility of Betty Lou’s Co., which also made nutrition bars. EMPWR uses the McMinnville facility for research and development, creating and testing prototypes for protein, granola, fruit and nut bars.
“People around the world recognize that Oregon is a destination for the food and beverage industry,” said the business recruiting firm, which works with local governments and businesses in the state to recruit employers to the region. said Neil Simon of Greater Portland. “In fact, there is a whole ecosystem here, from growing agricultural products to great research and development.”
Simon said Greater Portland helped EMPWR find a factory in Oregon to expand its U.S. production line.
— Kristine de Leon covers stories in retail, small business, and data enterprise. Please contact kdeleon@oregonian.com.
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