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Voyage Foods has announced it will open a 284,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Mason, Ohio, to produce its cocoa-free chocolate, nut-free spreads and bean-free coffee.

The food-tech start-up, headquartered in California, US, expects the site to be operational by the new year. Once construction is complete, the factory will have the capacity to produce 10,000 metric tons of cocoa-free chocolate annually.

Founded in 2021, Voyage Foods’ mission is to futureproof the world’s favourite foods without exploiting their source ingredients, taking pressure off vulnerable supply chains in sectors such as cocoa production and more.

Its portfolio of products includes cocoa-free chocolate, hazelnut-free spread and peanut-free spread, all vegan-friendly and free from the top nine common food allergens. They are made from widely available plant-based ingredients, many of which are upcycled from waste and side streams.

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

Adam Maxwell, CEO and founder of Voyage Foods, said: “With this new facility, Voyage is maturing from a start-up food technology company to a large-scale manufacturer with the ability to deliver value across the entire ecosystem to our people, partners, and the planet”.

Construction of the site has been funded partially through a guaranteed loan programme by the US Department of Agriculture of around $25 million. Voyage will maintain its headquarters and an additional manufacturing site in Oakland, California. The company closed a $52 million funding round earlier this year, bringing its total funding raised to $94 million.

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