Bridor will invest $230M to build bakery in Brigham City, employ 400

Brice Wallace 

A bread and pastry bakery that will rise in Brigham City now has an added ingredient: state help.

Global food manufacturer Bridor will build a production plant in the city, investing nearly $230 million in a project that ultimately will employ 400 people. The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, at a June meeting, approved a state tax credit incentive for Bridor USA Inc. of up to about $5 million over 13 years, tied to the creation of 87 high-paying jobs.

The company had announced the Brigham City plant in May.

Since 1984, Bridor has produced European breads and pastries adapted to the North American market. Part of the global Groupe Le Duff, Bridor has about 1,200 employees. Groupe Le Duff has over 30,000 employees in 100 countries and 10 production facilities.

Bridor North America, with headquarters in Montreal, has four plants: two in Québec, Canada, and two on the U.S. East Coast.

“As Bridor’s existing manufacturing basis in North America currently is East Coast-centric, our westward expansion was a strategy long in the making,” the company said in a statement. “Utah’s connectivity to major transportation routes, top-notch labor market, and proximity to diverse and rich agricultural products quickly elevated Utah to the top of our state regional reviews. The strong local support of our project early on for a manufacturer entering the market helped Bridor visualize the road map of how to establish operations here.”

Pascale Closson-Duquette, general counsel and a vice president for Bridor, told the GOEO board that the Brigham City facility will allow the company to better serve the western U.S. and probably parts of Canada.

The company hopes to have the plant in operation in January 2026, following 12 to 18 months of construction that is expected to begin this year, she said. The company had considered other states and other locations in Utah before selecting Brigham City.

The GOEO board approved the tax credit under the state’s Rural Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (REDTIF) program. Over 13 years, the project is expected to generate new state tax revenue of more than $20 million. New total wages over that time are projected to be more than $256 million. The incentivized jobs will pay an average of $70,086.

“As Utah continues to strengthen and diversify our industry sectors, food security and manufacturing have been particularly important,” Ryan Starks, GOEO executive director, said in a prepared statement. “Bridor serves markets across the globe with a dedication to innovation, sustainability and quality, and will certainly be an incredible addition to Utah.”

“We’re pleased to welcome Bridor to the Brigham City Industrial Park, one of 14 development-ready properties certified by EDCUtah’s Site Ready Utah program,” said Scott Cuthbertson, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “Bridor will play an important role in bolstering Utah’s food security, and its decision to expand in Utah was made possible by the collaboration of many important partners.”

Brigham City Mayor Dennis J. Bott said the city is excited to be Bridor’s project location. “We have had extensive interaction and cooperation with the company, and we are confident that it will be a great corporate citizen of both Brigham City and the state of Utah,” Bott said.

“Bridor’s investment in the Golden Spike Project Area will advance the Port’s objectives in Brigham City by creating quality jobs and promoting sustainable development,” said Ben Hart, executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority. “Its proven track record as a valuable corporate partner sets the stage for ongoing collaboration and prosperity in Northern Utah.”

GOEO does not provide upfront cash incentives. Each year that an incentivized company meets the obligations in its contract with the state, it will qualify to receive a portion of the new, additional state taxes the company paid to the state.