Hershey to expand Mexico plant with $90 mln investment, state says

An employee shows a Hershey’s chocolate bar made in USA in the “American lifestyle” store in Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo

MEXICO CITY, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Candy maker Hershey Co (HSY.N) will spend $90 million to open two new production lines in a Mexican plant in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon, the state said in a statement Thursday.

The expansion of the plant will increase output by 25%, according to the release issued after an event at the plant attended by company and state officials.

The state said the investment will also generate 300 new jobs in addition to the 2,500 already employed at the plant, which makes hundreds of products.

“With this investment, we are likely to go from fourth place to third among Hershey’s largest plants,” Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said at the event.

A representative for the Pennsylvania-based company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

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