WHITEHALL, OHIO — Cerelia, a Paris-based manufacturer of fresh, ready-to-bake dough solutions for pie and pizza, as well as ready-to-heat pancakes, crepes, cookies and cookie dough, has announced plans to expand in Ohio.

The company said it will invest $29 million to build a new 150,000-square-foot production facility in Whitehall to meet existing and future customer demand. The investment will be used for the facility’s construction, machinery and equipment upgrades, additional production lines and employee training.

The Whitehall location was chosen over a potential site in Toronto, the company said.

“The Columbus region is an optimal location to strategically invest capital and successfully deliver on long-term revenue objectives,” said Claude Le Bourg, chief operations officer for Cerelia. “This new facility will allow us to expand our resources and ultimately increase our market share in the US and Canada.”

Cerelia has more than 1,600 employees at 12 facilities located across Europe and North America. Its products are sold in more than 50 countries and generate nearly €500 million ($555 million) in revenue.

Cerelia was formed in 2012 through the merger of Alsacienne de Pâtes Menageres and Eurodough (the former Sara Lee International Bakery division). The company expanded in Europe through the 2015 acquisition of de Bioderij, a provider of pancakes and crepes, and later broadened its presence in the United Kingdom and North America with the acquisitions of Bakeaway in 2016 and English Bay Batter in 2017. Private equity firm Ardian acquired Cerelia from the IK VII Fund in December 2019.