Dieffenbach's Expands Manufacturing in Bethel Township

A Berks County-based chip-maker is crunching the plans for a major expansion.

Dieffenbach's, headquartered in Tulpehocken Township, announced Monday its plans to build a 188,000-square-foot potato chip manufacturing facility and warehouse in Bethel Township.

Phase-one of the project calls for moving the company's logistics operation from a leased site to the new location, which will serve as the hub for staging domestic and international shipments, as well as direct store delivery operations, according to Mike Marlowe, Dieffenbach's chief operating officer.

The second phase will allow for up to 20 new manufacturing lines, which would employ more than 100 additional people across four shifts, Marlowe said.

Dieffenbach's, a third-generation family-owned business that was founded in 1964, said the project is still in the planning stages, so it's unclear when construction will start.

The company expanded its current plant in 2012 and again in 2015-16, however, continued growth has driven plans to build the new facility, Marlowe said,

"We are excited about the growth we’ve seen over the past several years, and thus have been taking the steps to allow for continued growth to service our customers, and provide additional opportunities for our employees to grow," Marlowe said.

The new site will allow Dieffenbach's to double its current capacity when phase-one is complete and add an additional 100-percent once phase-two is finished.

In addition to the Dieffenbach's brand of potato chips, the company owns and distributes two other brands, the most recent of which was launched in December. The Uglies brand focuses on reducing waste for farmers by using potatoes that have minor imperfections.

The One Potato Two Potato brand was launched in 2012 and is sold nationally and internationally, including in Starbucks stores in North America.

The company said it is also a leader in the private label manufacturing industry.

"We currently make more than 100 unique products for various companies across the U.S. and Europe," Marlowe said. "We pride ourselves in being an indispensable partner for the private label companies we represent."
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