March 25/New York/Press Release -- Owing to a rise in demand for premium chocolate, Lindt & Spruengli will boost production at its U.S. headquarters by 8-10%, and it will start making treats for China for the first time, according to the Lindt USA chief executive.

"The U.S. chocolate market is the largest in the world with a premium chocolate segment that continues to grow rapidly," explained Lindt USA chief executive officer Thomas Linemayr. "The expanded Lindt USA facility will also produce products for China."

April sees the company begin a "multi-million dollar expansion" at its U.S. headquarters in Stratham, N.H. The effort will expand production from processing beans to making chocolate, storage and distribution over the "next several years," Linemayr said, though he offered no specifics.

As a result of the investment, the facility will begin making chocolate for China, the world's second-biggest economy, in addition to supplying its more established markets in North America, Europe and Australia, Linemayr said.

One of the four new products that will be made in the U.S. facility will be HELLO, chocolate featuring flavors like Cookies & Cream and Strawberry Cheesecake that target the younger generation.

The company said the expansion will include about 100 new full-time jobs as well as hundreds of seasonal positions.