Makers of Hi-Chew Candy to Invest $130 Million to Build New Processing Plant

July 18, 2024

Morinaga America Inc. holding company will begin construction in October on additional plant in Mebane, North Carolina.

The owner of the Hi-Chew chewy candy brand and its U.S. distribution company have announced they will build a second North American manufacturing facility in Mebane, N.C., according to a release from the company. Morinaga & Co. Ltd., the holding company of Morinaga America Inc., which distributes the Hi-Chew, Hi-Soft and Chargel branded products in the U.S., will invest more than $130 million to expand its production footprint for Hi-Chew products.

Construction is expected to begin in October 2024, with the plant being operational in January 2027, the release noted. The company expects the new facility to create more than 200 jobs for the surrounding communities.

The catalyst for building the new processing plant came in the form of 20% year-over-year growth of the Hi-Chew brand in market share in the U.S. non-chocolate candy category, the company noted. Morinaga already has a plant in Mebane, which began operations in 2015 and produces more than two billion pieces of Hi-Chew annually. The company says it manufactures the majority of Hi-Chew flavors for the North American markets.

The new factory will add 132,633 sq. ft. of production space and will be able to produce hundreds of tons of Hi-Chew candy annually. Hi-Chew offers more than 50 flavors in the U.S., and more than 200 flavors worldwide. Products are offered in sticks, peg bags and standup pouches.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.