TOPEKA — Mars Chocolate North America announced plans this morning to build a new state-of-the art candy manufacturing plant in Topeka. Mars president Todd Lachman said it’s the first new chocolate site built in the U.S. in 35 years. Phase I of the new site is planned to be complete in 2013, at which time the plant will make M&Ms and Snickers brand candies. Mars expects to make a capital investment of more than $250 million in the first phase. The company expects to hire about 200 full-time employees for the first phase. As the plant expands, it will add more product lines. The new facility will be built to meet leading-edge environmental standards, and the company will pursue a LEED gold-certified designation upon completion. LEED is a construction standard that emphasizes environmental and energy-savings standards.
Wednesday, June 29, 4 p.m.
