Orkla, a prominent food manufacturer based in Norway, has announced a Skr20m ($1.8m) investment to expand its Bubs confectionery production facility in Sweden.
The expansion of the Jönköping factory is scheduled to begin as early as this summer, according to Orkla.
The company indicated strong demand for the factory’s products from “both Swedish and international” clients.
Niclas Arnelin, Orkla’s business area manager for confectionery and ex-CEO of Bubs, stated: “We are noticing the international trend through an increasing number of international visitors to the website, followers on social media and many new inquiries from international wholesalers.”
He added, “Primarily, we are expanding to take care of all candy lovers and customers here in Sweden. But now that we are increasing capacity, both in the short term and in combination with our plans for the longer term, we also hope to be able to reach a more international market.”
Orkla took over the family-established confectionery company Bubs in 2022. The Jönköping factory currently employs 50 people.
Approximately 25% of Bubs’ candies are exported, chiefly to other Nordic nations. The investment is described by Orkla as “part of a larger development plan,” with the first phase set to enhance the plant’s capacity by about 20% by this summer.
Raspberry Licorice Skull is among the factory’s best-selling sweets.
Orkla also owns several other sweet brands such as OLW, Smash, and Göteborgs kex.
Additionally, the company has a robust presence in Sweden through food brands like Grumme, Felix, Anamma, KronJäst, and OLW, employing 3,000 staff across 15 production facilities in the nation, predominantly focused on food and hygiene products.