JOPLIN, MO. — General Mills, Inc. said it will invest $48 million to expand its frozen dough facility in Joplin. The expansion is expected to be completed in early 2024 and will create 47 new jobs, the company said.

As part of the expansion, General Mills said it will add semi-automated processing and packaging to improve production and operational efficiencies. Once the expansion is complete, the company said it will be able to produce more than 1 billion lbs of frozen dough products each year.

“At General Mills, we’re accelerating our business and investing to support continued growth in frozen dough,” said Tim Johnson, plant manager at the General Mills Joplin plant. “Southwest Missouri and the Joplin community continue to partner with employers on mutually beneficial programs to drive growth in the region. This investment is an acknowledgment of the strong work ethic within the Joplin community, and we’re excited to expand our General Mills team.”