ATCHISON, KAS. — Inclusion Technologies L.L.C. has acquired the assets of AnaCon Foods Co., including a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Atchison that will serve as headquarters for Inclusion. Inclusion, a new ingredient and management company, is focused on investments and acquisitions in the food inclusion category.

Beginning this summer, Inclusion will produce food ingredient products for the industrial market, including a line of nut-free ingredients and other customized inclusions, clusters, nut replacers and nut extenders.  Manufacturing will take place in the Atchison nut-free facility.

Prior to closing in December 2013, AnaCon produced snacks and food ingredient products marketed under such names as Wheat Nuts, Bowlby’s Bits, Mix-Ups, Bits-O-Flavor and Wheat Germ Nuts. The company created inclusions and particulates that duplicate the characteristic flavors, colors, textures and appearance of nuts, fruits and sweet ingredients used by food processors in formulated products.

“We are very excited to acquire these unique and proprietary assets, which we will modernize and reposition under our new ownership and direction,” said Christopher Jansen, president of Inclusion. “The plant, processes and diverse product technologies offer our new business a very strong platform to build a larger, more diversified inclusion business upon.”

Future plans for the facility include expanding capabilities to include product coating, panning, enrobing, and additional clustering, Inclusion said. The company said it plans to hire 17 employees over the next five years.