New Horizons: When Baking Grows Bigger

The  Challenge

New Horizons Baking Company products include muffins and soft rolls used by over 5,000 restaurants, food service facilities, and wholesale establishments – including McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Tyson Foods.

With an increase in customer demand and a recent acquisition, New Horizons needed to install a new muffin line as well as build a new freezer to improve efficiencies. This expansion would also mean the company needed to add more employees to meet the increase in production.

The Solution

Headquartered in Norwalk and in operation for over 55 years, New Horizons added a 20,000-square-foot space for cold storage and the new muffin line in Toledo – growth that nearly doubled the company’s number of employees.

Key factors in choosing Ohio included:

• Commitment to the company’s existing employees and providing them with new opportunities
• Access to Ohio’s strong and highly skilled workforce
• The proximity to and relationships with industry and academic partners, which result in faster, more affordable access to every part of the value chain.
• Ohio’s centralized location, which allows for faster and more efficient delivery to customers throughout much of the U.S. and Canada
• Ohio’s favorable tax laws for businesses

The Results

• Jobs Created: 45
• Total Payroll: $2.3 million
• Total Investment: $13.5 million
• Economic Impact: New Horizons’ decision to expand its operations in Ohio rather than relocate to another state keeps its existing employee base in the Norwalk area and brings added economic benefits of its expanded workforce.
• Strategic Advantage: In Ohio, businesses have access to a complete ground-to-consumer value chain. Ohio’s farmlands produce soybeans, corn, dairy, wheat, eggs, and hogs. From there, companies can connect with the state’s food manufacturers, packagers, distributors, retailers, and customers. In addition, companies can leverage assets that make doing business more affordable, such as low-cost natural gas, a deregulated power market, and close partnerships with state agencies.

“Our workforce is very important – we would not have the success we’ve achieved without a committed and loyal group of employees. In addition, Toledo offers a wide pool of high-level candidates.”

New Horizons Director of Operations Steve Morgan