Mars Opens New $240 Million Nature's Bakery Facility in Salt Lake City

PASADENA, Calif. — Nature's Bakery, known for its soft-baked snack bars and part of the Mars family of brands, opened its new state-of-the-art baking facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The $240 million investment marks a milestone in the brand's ongoing expansion and commitment to delivering wholesome snacks to families across the U.S, the company said.

The 339,000-plus-square-foot site gives Nature's Bakery the space to grow, with the ability to produce more than 1 billion bars each year. It also brings more than 230 new jobs to the region. 

"The biggest step we can take to meet our growth goals is making more of the snacks people love, and this new baking facility helps us do exactly that," said Steve Gardiner, CEO of Nature's Bakery. "It gives us the space to grow today and tomorrow, while letting us bake even more efficiently and with even higher quality. Most importantly, it allows us to keep delivering wholesome, feel-good snacks to more families across the country, wherever and whenever they need them." 

Mars acquired Nature's Bakery in March 2021, and since then, the brand is on pace to more than double its size from 2020 to now, the company said.

"The snacking category continues to grow in importance in the U.S. and as consumers' tastes and preferences evolve, and at Mars, we're focused on accelerating innovation that will shape the future of snacking," said Blas Maquivar, global president of health and wellness division. "The Mars local investment in the new Salt Lake City-based Nature's Bakery facility will enable us to expand the reach of our health and wellness brand, strengthening our focus and introducing more consumers to our better-for-you offering."

Strategically located in Salt Lake City's Mountain West neighborhood, the new site helps improve national distribution and reduces delivery distances to retailers, said the company. The new bakery facility is LEED Silver-certified and is expected to lower trucking-related CO₂ emissions by an estimated 5,700 tons annually. The facility also features smart automation, including innovative systems for ingredient delivery, mixing and cooling. These advancements allow Nature's Bakery to not only enhance food safety and consistency but evolve many manual roles into higher-skilled positions, creating greater opportunities for long-term career development for associates, said the company. 

"Manufacturing is one of Utah's key industries — driving job creation, strengthening supply chains and fueling long-term growth," said Jefferson Moss, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. "Nature's Bakery's new facility is exactly the kind of high-impact investment that positions Utah for continued success. We're proud to welcome the company as it expands in Salt Lake City, bringing quality jobs and reinforcing our state's reputation as a top destination for advanced manufacturing."

"Nature's Bakery has brought with them not only economic opportunity but also care for our community — even before a single production line has gone live," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. "From supporting local schools to showing up at events across the city, they've embraced our residents with generosity and heart. We're proud to welcome them to Salt Lake City."

In the United States, Mars has a presence in 49 states, employs more than 70,000 associates and operates 38 factories in addition to veterinary clinics, labs and 16 global and regional offices.