Voyage Foods building in Ohio for cocoa-free chocolate and nut-free spreads

Voyage Foods is bringing a 284,000 square foot online store online. Plant in Mason, Ohio, producing cocoa-free chocolate, nut-free spreads and bean-free coffees. The plant is expected to be operational in the new year and, once fully completed, will have the capacity to produce 10,000 tonnes of cocoa-free chocolate per year.

The price was not disclosed, but construction was funded in part by a USDA guaranteed loan program “in the amount of approximately $25 million,” the company said. Trip will maintain its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Oakland, California.

“With this new facility, Voyage matures from a food technology startup to a large-scale manufacturer with the ability to deliver value across the ecosystem to our people, partners and the planet,” said Adam Maxwell, CEO and founder.

The company signed a deal with Cargill in April to become Voyage’s exclusive global B2B distributor for its nut-free spreads and cocoa-free chocolate. The new facility will help capture new opportunities, particularly among CPG and foodservice companies.

In addition to its cocoa-free chocolate, the company offers Peanut-Free Roasted Seed Spread and Hazelnut-Free Roasted Seed Spread, which are free of the nine most common allergens and are available in Walmarts nationwide. Voyage products are made from low-cost, widely available plant-based ingredients, many of which are recycled from waste and side streams.