HAZELWOOD, MO. — Marson Foods, LLC, a manufacturer of waffle products for K-12 and foodservice, has opened its 147,000-square-foot distribution facility and production lines in Hazelwood. The facility includes 12,000 square feet of fully automated freezer capacity, research and development capabilities, automated production lines, and space for five additional production lines.

“With our R&D capabilities and space for additional production lines, we are eager to expand our offerings, and excited about the prospect of new partnerships for co-manufacturing and private label clients,” said Jan Marson, co-owner of Marson Foods.

Tyler Wallace, chief operating officer of Marson Foods, added, “We custom tailored the facility infrastructure as well as our processes with full automation in mind. In addition, we hand-picked some of the top equipment vendors in the world to be a part of this project. Starting with a raw material handling and traceability system, automated mixing system, authentic Belgian waffle line and oven manufactured in Belgium, packaging systems from Switzerland, as well as end of line robotics and conveying from the US. The on-site refrigeration for finished goods storage also includes a fully automatic ASRS system to eliminate personnel from working in the harsh freezer environment. All in all, the decision to leverage automation allows us to maintain the highest level of food safety and quality at a lower price point to the consumer.”

Marson Foods first announced plans to invest $35 million in the facility back in March 2023. Operations at the facility began in October 2023, and Marson Foods said it now is producing 420 waffles per minute, roughly 25,000 per hour, with a capacity of 150 million waffles a year.

The company’s waffle products include Waffle Envy Waffles, Wow Wow Classic Waffles, Cereal Blast Waffles and Smart Snack.