Project Experience

To support its rapid growth and increasing production demands, Banneton partnered with D&B Thermal to provide the design and construction of two phased facility expansions at its Swedesboro, New Jersey manufacturing campus. The project required the seamless integration of state-of-the-art automated production systems while preserving the artisan-driven processes that define the Banneton brand. Although advanced automation was incorporated throughout the facility, key stages of product makeup and proofing continue to rely on skilled personnel to maintain the handcrafted quality standards central to Banneton’s products. As Founder and Owner Victor Litinetsky explained: “People keep telling us we should automate this part or that part of the process. We prefer to stop automation exactly at the point where it interferes with the artisan craft of the product. There are tons of automated systems that we don’t use to ensure we are dedicated to the artisan-making process for these freezer-to-oven croissants.”

Completed in late 2020, Phase 1 of the expansion represented a $20 million investment and increased the footprint of the existing 90,000-square-foot bakery by an additional 46,000 square feet. The expansion included new production lines, additional dock positions, proofing systems, office space, expanded freezer capacity, and infrastructure to support a future fifth makeup line, which was installed shortly after project completion. Phase 2 was completed in 2024 and included an additional 30,000-square-foot expansion designed to support Banneton’s most advanced automated production line to date. The project incorporated sophisticated computerized process systems and equipment, additional loading dock capacity, expanded production operations, employee welfare areas, and a complex mezzanine structure designed to maximize operational efficiency within the facility footprint. The expansion also added 12,000 square feet of cold storage capacity to further support the company’s continued growth and distribution demands.