Bakery products manufacturer JTM Foods recently broke ground on a new manufacturing facility for JJ’s Snack Pies products in Wichita, KS that will boost its production capacity and enhance its ability to serve the West Coast, Southwest, and Southern regions, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced.

“After exploring several options across multiple states and locales,” said Monty Pooley, JTM Foods President and CEO, in a release, “the strong public/private partnerships here, linking government, business, academic, and community interests together convinced us that Wichita was the ‘Best Choice’ for JTM’s future expansion.”

A site in the ICT21 Industrial District was selected for the facility due to its centralized location in the country and access to a major interstate. 560,000 sq ft of industrial space is currently under construction.

“JTM Foods’ expansion into Wichita is sweet news for Kansans and for treat lovers everywhere. Our state dominates the landscape in food processing, and JTM’s investment highlights the tremendous competitive advantages Kansas offers businesses,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “Our central location, strong infrastructure, and outstanding workforce make our state the best place in the nation to build, hire, and invest.”

The plant is slated to commence operations next spring.