The privately-owned confectionery group Jelly Belly Candy Company has announced plans to build a plant in Thailand.
The plant will be situated on a 6.4-acre site in Rayong near Bangkok, with the unit itself extending over 50,000 square feet. Construction is expected to begin in six months, and will go into operation within 18 months.
“We see tremendous potential in the international markets, and this manufacturing facility will help us build business overseas,” said Jelly Belly chairman Herman G. Rowland, Sr. “The candy manufactured in the new Thailand plant will be earmarked for distribution and sales in international markets.”
Rowland stressed that beginning production in Thailand would not impact on North American distribution or manufacturing and would not affect employees’ jobs in the US. “We are an American manufacturer and will continue to maintain our domestic operations, using American labour and raw materials,” Rowland added.
The company currently has two factories, one in Fairfield, California and the other in North Chicago, Illinois.
