Morinaga & Co., Ltd Announces Second U.S. Factory in North Carolina, Anticipated to Begin Operation in 2027

The new factory aims to ramp up production to fulfill the growing demand for HI-CHEW^® products in the U.S.

IRVINE, Calif., July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Morinaga & Co., Ltd, the holding company of Morinaga America, Inc., announces its second North American manufacturing facility in Mebane, North Carolina. The company will invest over $130 million to construct the new facility, which will support increased production for the beloved HI-CHEW^® brand, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy.

With this additional production pipeline, the company will be able to meet the growing demand for HI-CHEW^® products across all U.S. distribution channels. The new factory is slated to start construction in October 2024 and will be operational in January 2027. With the addition of this secondary factory, Morinaga America Foods, Inc. is creating over 200 career opportunities for the Orange County, North Carolina community with various positions across production, quality assurance, maintenance and support staff.

"HI-CHEW^® has been steadfast in growing its market share in the U.S. non-chocolate candy category and has achieved 20% year-over-year growth since 2018," said Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc. "With this tremendous brand growth year over year, we are eager to maximize our production output to continue providing new, innovative HI-CHEW^® products to consumers and brand fans nationwide."

The existing North Carolina factory, which began operations in 2015, manufactures the majority of HI-CHEW^® flavors for North American distribution, with over two billion pieces of HI-CHEW^® produced yearly. With the addition of the new 132,633 sq. foot factory, the company will be able to produce hundreds of tons of HI-CHEW^® candies every year to satisfy dedicated brand fans and consumers alike.

HI-CHEW^® continues to grow steadily among U.S. consumers as a fan favorite due to its unique and wide-ranging flavor offerings, including various packaging formats and new textures. With over 50 flavors available in the U.S., the brand is passionate about product innovation and catering new flavor profiles to the American palate.

HI-CHEW^® products are available at major retailers nationwide. To learn more about HI-CHEW^® and where to purchase HI-CHEW^® products, visit HI-CHEW.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and TikTok (@HICHEWUSA).

About Morinaga America, Inc.:
Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official distributor of HI-CHEW^®, HI-SOFT™, and Chargel™ in the United States. Morinaga America, Inc. (marketing and sales) and Morinaga America Foods, Inc. (manufacturing) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morinaga & Co., Ltd., which began in 1899 as the first, modern candy maker and producer of chocolates in Japan. In 2015, Morinaga America, Inc. opened its first United States manufacturing facility in North Carolina. With over 200 flavors of HI-CHEW^® having debuted in Japan, Morinaga America, Inc. has introduced the United States market to the best of Japanese confectionery.

About HI-CHEW^®:
Choose Different. Choose Fun. Chew HI-CHEW^®. The history of Morinaga stretches back over a century when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy-making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s. HI-CHEW^® has long been the best-selling soft candy in Japan and continues to see year-over-year growth throughout other parts of Asia and in the United States. In the United States, HI-CHEW^® is currently offered in sticks, peg bags, and stand-up pouches. The HI-CHEW^® sticks come in a variety of flavors including Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, Açaí, and Sweet & Sour Watermelon. HI-CHEW^® also offers peg bags in the following flavors: Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Superfruit Mix, Sweet & Sour Mix, Soda Pop Mix, Berry Mix, Plus Fruit, Fantasy Mix, Reduced Sugar, and new Dessert Mix. The Stand-Up Pouches are available in Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Sweet and Sour Mix, Fruit Combos, Infrusions Orchard Mix, and new Dessert Mix. HI-CHEW^® Bites are unwrapped in bite-size packaging in Mango, Green Apple, and Strawberry flavors. The newly launched HI-CHEW^® Gummies and HI-CHEW^® Gummies Sour reimagine the brand's iconic chewlets in a new gummy form. HI-CHEW^® is made with concentrated fruit juices and is gluten free, with no colors from synthetic sources. HI-CHEW^® continues to expand fruity, chewy flavor offerings annually. In 2020, HI-CHEW^® won a Nielsen Design Impact Award for its new Original Mix packaging update that hit shelves in 2019. For more information, visit HI-CHEW.com.

SOURCE Morinaga America, Inc.