Six months after holding a ribbon cutting at the facility, Hostess Brands L.L.C. said it will expand its plant in Emporia. The Kansas City-based snack cakes maker submitted its expansion plans to the board of directors of the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, who in turn presented its recommendations for the project to the Emporia City Commission on Dec. 11.
“Emporia is an important facility for Hostess,” said Richard Seban, president of Hostess Brands L.L.C. “We are very appreciative of the ongoing support of the local authorities and we are delighted to be making additional investments in this great community. The expansion and upgrades will enable Hostess to increase production capacity for our iconic snack cakes and enhance overall efficiencies as we move forward.”
Mr. Seban said plans call for the addition of an approximately 36,000-square-foot warehouse building, the installation of a new Auto-Bake production line, and additional equipment upgrades and purchases. The total investment is expected to exceed $30 million, he said, and an additional 50 full-time employees will be hired.
The Emporia plant was one of four acquired by Apollo Global Management L.L.C. and Metropoulos & Co. earlier this year as part of a purchase of selected Hostess assets. The other plants are in Columbus, Ga.; Schiller Park, Ill.; and Indianapolis.
