Today, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah) announced the establishment of a 339,000 sq. ft. baking facility by Nature’s Bakery in Salt Lake City. Nature’s Bakery projects to add over 190 jobs to its Utah location and invest $237 million in the Utah facility. 

“We offer a warm welcome to Nature’s Bakery, a producer of wholesome, plant-based food that aligns with our state’s health-conscious lifestyle and love for outdoor activities,” said Ryan Starks, executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. “With Utah’s strong emphasis on well-being and sustainability, Nature’s Bakery’s offerings are poised to resonate with our communities. We look forward to the positive impact it will bring to our local economy, the creation of many jobs, and contribution to the flourishing food culture in Utah.”

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Nature's Bakery, part of Mars, Incorporated family of brands, has become the eighth best-selling and fastest-growing granola and snack bar brand in a +$4B category. Nature’s Bakery bakes the goodness of real ingredients into convenient, on-the-go snacks that are plant based, dairy-free, nut-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified. Their products are sold nationally at Target, Walmart, Costco and more, across 100,000 stores and counting. 

“I am thrilled for our strategic expansion with the establishment of a cutting-edge baking facility in Salt Lake City,” shared Steve Gardiner, CEO of Nature’s Bakery. “This investment marks a significant milestone in our brand’s ability to drive greater capacity to meet growing consumer and retailer demand. As a self-manufacturer, this facility joins our existing bakeries to reflect our commitment to innovation and quality, and underscores our confidence in the thriving business environment of Utah. We look forward to contributing to the local economy, cultivating community, and creating job opportunities as we further our brand purpose of nourishing families and enabling them to thrive.”  

To accelerate the growth of their better-for-you snacking platform, Nature’s Bakery has been part of the Mars family of companies since 2020. “This investment symbolizes our dedication to scaling our brands responsibly, upholding Mars' pledge to be America's prime destination for insurgent brands,” shared Juan Martin, Health & Wellness president at Mars, Incorporated.  

“Nature’s Bakery’s investment is a reflection of Team Utah’s collaborative and thorough recruitment process, and we appreciate the close involvement from Utah’s community partners and utility providers,” said Scott Cuthbertson, president and CEO of EDCUtah. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Nature’s Bakery as they grow and prosper in Salt Lake City.”

“Salt Lake City is a premier destination for business, and we’re happy to welcome Nature’s Bakery to the community,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said. “With over 190 new high-quality jobs, businesses like Nature’s Bakery, which support the needs of our workforce, are an important part of growing the economy for our families. This is a win for Salt Lakers and everyone who loves to live, work, and play here.”

Nature’s Bakery’s new facility is scheduled to initiate operations in July 2025. 

Katherine Morrell-Moser, senior business development manager, led Project Merlin for EDCUtah. Chris Liddell and Tom Dischmann, both of CBRE, facilitated the property sale.

For more information about Nature’s Bakery, contact Hanna Teklu, senior director of marketing communications, at hteklu@naturesbakery.com.‍

Investors: If you were involved in this project and would like to add your organization to this announcement, please email connect@edcutah.org.

About Nature’s Bakery   ‍

Nature’s Bakery believes that simple, wholesome snacks are the best fuel for active, joyful lives. Since 2011, they’ve soft-baked the goodness of real ingredients like sun-ripened fruit and hearty whole grains into snacks that are plant-based, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified. Nature’s Bakery products include Whole Wheat Fig Bars, Gluten Free Fig Bars, Oatmeal Crumble bars, Organic Baked-Ins bars, Brownie bars, and Fig Bar Minis. Nature’s Bakery products can be purchased online at naturesbakery.com and Amazon. For more information, please visit naturesbakery.com/press-room or join the conversation on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

‍About Mars Incorporated ‍

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality snacking, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including Nature’s Bakery®, Ben’s Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating A Better World for Pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.