Snack manufacturer and Yankees peanut provider Bazzini is swinging for the fences with a new manufacturing facility in Lehigh Valley, Pa., the company says.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bazzini to this premier facility,” says Joe Petrucci, Project Executive at J.G. Petrucci Co., the facility’s designer and developer. “Their choice to expand here underscores the value of the property and the strength of the Lehigh Valley as a hub for manufacturing and distribution.”
Founded in New York in 1886, Bazzini says it’s the oldest nut company in the U.S., manufacturing nuts, fruit, chocolate confections, and better-for-you bars for customers nationwide. The company has provided peanuts for Yankee Stadium since 1923.
The company moved its headquarters and main manufacturing operations to Lehigh Valley in 2011, with this newest facility expanding its manufacturing footprint in the area.
The new 150,000-sq-ft facility at 3910 Burgess Place is one of three buildings that make up the Lehigh Valley Flex Center, a 31-acre industrial park in Hanover Township. The building was previously a Stuffed Puffs factory, according to J.G. Petrucci Co.
The facility “showcases state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities, reinforcing Bazzini’s unwavering commitment to quality and innovation,” the developer says.
Food and beverage presence grows in the Lehigh Valley
Bazzini’s expansion in the Lehigh Valley is part of a trend of food and beverage growth in the area.
The region has seen 45.5% growth in the number of people working in food and beverage production in the past decade, more than 10% greater than the national average of 33.6% growth.
Almost 90 food and beverage manufacturers operate in Lehigh Valley, including Ocean Spray, Coca-Cola, Just Born, Bakerly/Norac, Bimbo Bakeries, Boston Beer Co., and Freshpet. This contributes to the region’s position as a top 15% manufacturing market in the U.S.