BALTIMORE — Northeast Foods Inc. said it plans to build a new 80,000-square-foot bakery and storage facility in Clayton, N.C. The $25.4 million investment is expected to create 84 jobs during the next two years and is part of an overall supply chain strategy designed to better serve McDonald’s restaurants in the region, Northeast Foods said.

Northeast Foods has been supplying McDonald’s since 1965 and is the restaurant chain’s largest supplier of buns in the United States. The company operates five facilities in the United States.

Construction on the bakery is set to begin this summer, with completion scheduled for the spring of 2011. Once operational, the bakery is expected to be able to produce up to 72,000 buns per hour, Northeast Foods said. The bakery will serve two Golden State Foods distribution centers in Garner, N.C., and Lexington, S.C.

“We are pleased to be able to bring new opportunities to the people of Johnston county and its surrounding communities,” said Bill Paterakis, president of Northeast Foods. “We believe our new bakery will be a win-win for our company, McDonald’s and the people of North Carolina. Our vision is to continue being an industry leader in innovation by continually setting the highest standards in quality and service. This expansion will allow us to continue to provide the highest quality products to McDonald’s and their customers in this part of the U.S.”