BEDFORD — The Organic Snack Company, a food-manufacturing company and exclusive producer of Kate’s Real Food, announced Monday that its owner, Bruce Thaler, through the development entity BT Snacks II, purchased 82 acres of land in Bedford Business Park II in anticipation for future expansion this summer.

The purchase of the land will allow Thaler to expand TOSC’s operations as well as begin the construction of additional manufacturing and warehousing space, with a total build out of up to 750,000 square feet. The anticipated investment in the project is expected to exceed $75 million and create 500 or more jobs in the community.

“The acquisition of this land is an incredibly exciting moment in time for The Organic Snack Company and for the Bedford community,” said TOSC CEO Mark Thaler in a statement. “There has been an increasing demand from consumers for quality, organic snack offerings made with clean ingredients, and this monumental expansion effort for our company will be key in keeping up with that demand.”

TOSC worked with the Bedford County Development Association for local development assistance, the Governor’s Action Team and Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority for state assistance, and Dollar Bank for project financing to bring the acquisition to fruition. Since its establishment in 2020, TOSC has grown from more than seven employees to approximately 100, with additional opportunities and growth on the horizon.

“We’ve been honored to have a great working relationship with The Organic Snack Company over the past several years,” said BCDA President Bette Slayton in a statement. “Since the development of TOSC’s first facility, we’ve seen phenomenal growth come from the company and were more than happy to support them on another venture.”

TOSC plans to announce exactly what the land will be used for in the coming months.