Europastry to open bakery operation in county

A new commercial bakery is set to call Laurens County home.

Europastry announced a $23 million investment in the county at Hunter Industrial Park in the former Muffin Mam location, a building that is already outfitted for a large commercial bakery.

The bakery is expected to create 155 new jobs for the area.

Muffin Mam opened in the facility in 2019, but closed abruptly last November, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and throwing over 200 employees out of work. The company’s leaders cited economic struggles brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind the closure.

Headquartered in Spain, Europastry specializes in a variety of bakery products and delivers pastries and baked goods to wholesalers around the globe. The company serves more than 80 countries worldwide. Its new Laurens-based facility is expected to begin operations in November and produce Europastry’s line of brioche bread products.

When Muffin Man closed its operation, Laurens County Development Corporation President and CEO Jonathan Coleman said he hoped to fill the fully equipped Hunter Industrial Park location with another similar industry.

With the arrival of Europastry, that’s exactly what happened.

“We are grateful that Europastry chose Laurens County for their new location,” said Laurens County Council Chairman Brown Patterson. “We continue to be a place that business and industry thrive, and we look forward to working with Europastry for many years and wish them much success.”

The state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. The council also approved a $150,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Laurens County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

“Hunter Industrial Park continues to grow, and international investment continues to make Laurens County thrive,” said Laurens Mayor Nathan Senn. “We are pleased to have Europastry locate in the city of Laurens. The city looks forward to working with them for many years and wish them much success.”

Europastry, which has its U.S. operations based in Long Island, New York, is a 35-year-old company with its roots in Barcelona, Spain.

“Our origins are rooted in traditional bakery,” a caption on the company’s website reads. “But we are also non-conformists. With an eye on the past and another on the future, we are reinventing the culture of baking.”