Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc. is expanding its bakery in Valdosta-Lowndes County, GA, to add additional production capacity. The Chambersburg, PA-based company’s Valdosta bakery has been producing Martin’s products since 2008. The design, build and installation of the new production line is scheduled for completion by February 2019.
“We are excited about the expansion of the bakery, which adds an additional 119,379 square feet of production space,” said Tony Martin, executive vice president of Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc. “We are moving to a higher level of business and operational sophistication. This will increase the ability to efficiently serve our customers on a larger scale as our markets continue to grow.”
The new production space is designed with the future in mind so that production capacity in the space can be increased as the market dictates. The newest line will encompass state-of-the-art baking technology that includes production efficiency, automation, and verification processes that promote the highest quality in food safety standards.
“Quality is crucial to our brand, and the efficiency of our operations is essential, especially since Martin’s bakery products are only on the stores shelves for 3-4 days, which is a significantly shorter amount of time than our competitors’ products,” Martin said.
“We see this as not only as an investment in our company but also an investment in our employees and our community,” added Scott Munger, Martin’s director of production operations in Valdosta. “The new capacity along with the additional technology aids in developing our workforce and brings additional revenues into our community.”
Martin’s expansion represents a multimillion-dollar capital investment and the creation of an estimated 36 new jobs, according to Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority.
“We are thrilled that Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc. is nearly doubling their footprint in Georgia with this expansion,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “It’s a win for all of us when a company announces they are expanding to accommodate projected sales growth in the U.S. and around the world. I also commend our economic development partners in Valdosta who have supported their efforts.”