Belgium nutrition bar company expands manufacturing in McMinnville, add 200 jobs

A Belgium-based nutrition bar company is expanding its manufacturing and packaging facilities in McMinnville, which will add more than 200 jobs to the operation.

EMPWR Nutrition, a snack bar manufacturing and packaging company, received a $1 million grant from the state’s strategic reserve fund to support its plans to add 85,000 square feet to its current facility, according to a news release. The company said last year it was spending $20 million on the expansion.

The company landed in McMinnville in early 2022 after it acquired the manufacturing facility of Betty Lou’s Inc., which also produced nutrition bars. EMPWR uses the McMinnville factory for research and development, creating and testing prototypes of protein, granola, fruit and nut bars.

“People across the world are recognizing that Oregon is a destination for the food and beverage industry,” said Neil Simon, with business recruitment agency Greater Portland Inc., which works with local governments and businesses across the state to recruit employers to the region. “There’s actually an entire ecosystem here, from the growth of produce to great research and development.”

Simon said Greater Portland Inc. helped EMPWR find a plant in Oregon to expand its production lines in the U.S.

— Kristine de Leon covers the retail industry, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com.

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