Bimbo Bakeries USA is building a new $75 million, state-of-the-art bakery in Upper Macungie that will bring more than 100 jobs to the area and produce bread and buns for the Northeast, the company said.

The new bakery is expected to begin operation in early 2014.

Bimbo Bakeries is building its new facility on 30 acres that it has purchased at 105 Boulder Drive. The site is across from Ocean Spray's new facility, which is currently under construction, township officials said. 

This new bakery will enable the company to continue to serve its customers with "the highest quality and freshest baked goods while leveraging significant advances in baking technology that will make our operations more efficient," said David Margulies, a spokesman for the company, in an e-mail.   

Construction of the 240,000-square-foot plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

"Our new bakeries use less energy, are friendlier to the environment, allow more efficient production and help us maintain the highest quality standards," Margulies said. "These innovations allow us to offer consumers the best value when they purchase our products."

According to its website, Bimbo Bakeries operates more than 70 bakeries and distributes leading brands that include Sara Lee, Arnold, Entenmann's, Thomas', Tia Rosa and Stroehmann. Its headquarters is in Horsham, Montgomery County.

Bimbo Bakeries is the U.S. Division of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, one of the world's largest baking companies with more than 126,000 associates and operations in 19 countries, the website says.