US-based Mondelēz International has opened a new production line at its Sheffield facility to manufacture Oreo and BelVita biscuits for the UK, Ireland and other European markets, a move which safeguards about 70 jobs.
The investment is a part of the company's £50m investment in the UK chocolate and biscuit manufacturing since 2010.
The new production line will initially produce three tons of Oreos per hour and more than a million Oreos per day and later in the year BelVita biscuits.
The Sheffieldsite currently employs about 400 people and already manufactures confectionery brands such as Trebor, Bassett's and Maynards.
Mondelez International UK and Ireland president Maurizio Brusadelli said that the company is delighted to add the new production line at Sheffield facility and it expects to follow it with further investment and innovation in biscuits.
The Sheffield factory is the company's largest sugar confectionery plant in Europe.
Mondelez International has operations in more than 80 countries worldwide and its biscuit sales in the UK totaled £125.2m in 2012, compared with £99.9m in 2011.