A peanut butter plant in Troy will more than double its production next year — an expansion that’s welcome news for Alabama farmers.

Construction of a $13.3 million expansion at Golden Boy Foods was announced in November and is expected to be completed this spring. The development includes modifications to the plant’s existing facility and a new 170,000-square-foot building. The project will increase production by 150% and create 67 full-time jobs.

“Golden Boy Foods is excited to expand our Troy nut butter facility,” said Robert Jacobs, the company’s Troy plant manager. “A key factor in selecting to expand the Troy facility has been the outstanding business relationship we have shared with local and state officials since the inception of the plant in 2011. The work ethic we have found is second to none.”

Alabama ranks second nationally in peanut production behind Georgia. State peanut farmers said they are excited about the growth in local peanut butter production. Golden Boy production sites in Georgia and Nevada were also considered for the project.

“The expansion is great news for the peanut industry,” said Billy Hixon, an Alabama Peanut Producers Association board member who farms in Pike County. “It will have a positive impact on our local economy by adding more jobs. More importantly, it’s a big win for the peanut industry as a whole. Peanut butter consumption is up, and this growth will help meet that demand.”

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the expansion Nov. 12.

“Southeast Alabama is peanut country, and I welcome Golden Boy Foods’ decision to expand its peanut butter manufacturing operation in Troy,” Ivey said. “By selecting Sweet Home Alabama, I know the company has picked the right place to pursue its growth plans.”

The expansion includes a $12.5 million investment by the Troy Industrial Development Board to purchase land and construct the building to accommodate the company’s growth plans.

Golden Boy Foods is one of the largest manufacturers of private label and contracted manufactured nut butter in North America, as well as a significant supplier of nuts, fruits and trail mixes to major North American retailers. The company last expanded in Troy in 2016 and now has 112 employees there.

Golden Boy Foods manufactures a variety of peanut butter using specific client recipes and packaged under client labels.