EL PASO, TEXAS — Mount Franklin Foods, LLC has opened a new candy manufacturing facility in San Jeronimo — a port of entry in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, across the US border from Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and the company’s headquarters in El Paso.

The 220,000-square-foot facility will add 130 million lbs of capacity in soft non-chocolate candy for the company. The first line will open in October, and the second production line will be fully operational by the second quarter of 2021.

“The additional capacity at this facility allows for continued growth and helps ensure we remain the trusted resource for quality candy and fruit snack products in the retail and co-manufacturing markets,” said Enrique Grajeda, president and chief executive officer of Mount Franklin Foods. “Additionally, it will enable us to continue to develop new and exciting items within the soft sugar category.”

The facility also will house a packaging line serving a variety of bag sizes and final packaging configurations, as well as R&D.

“We are dedicated to advancing Mount Franklin Foods through continued investments in technology and manufacturing services for the growing confections market,” said Eloy S. Vallina L., chairman of the board for Mount Franklin Foods. “This major investment underscores our commitment to our core confectionery business and to innovation that will help our customers thrive.”

Mount Franklin Foods manufactures branded, contract and private label confectionery, nuts, snacks, foodservice products and dry blended ingredients. The company’s brands include Party Sweets mints; Sunrise candies; Azar nuts, seeds and trail mixes; Brewhouse Legends snack nut mixes; Nubu Snacks nuts and nut butters; Route 66 Snack Mixes; Chef Xpress nut toppings; Fruit Shoppe fruit snacks; and Softer Than Brittle nut snacks.