NASHVILLE, TENN. — Commercial baker Crown Bakeries plans to add a new high-speed bun production line at its manufacturing facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Nashville-based Crown said the new line will “significantly increase” its bun production volume, enabling the company to better serve its growing national customer base. The AMF Bakery Systems production line being installed can make up to 2.3 million buns daily, the wholesale baker said, adding that the new system’s efficiency will help the company meet rising demand and competitive price points.

The new production line at the Pleasant Prairie plant is slated to become fully operational by November 2025, according to Crown. The bakery, which started out as a high-speed bun producer in Dickson, Tenn., is a supplier of buns to top brands. Its full product lineup spans buns, fresh and frozen croissants, bagels, biscuits, sweet goods and dough products.

“This expansion is a direct reflection of our dedication to meeting customer needs with speed, scale and precision,” said Yianny Caparos, chief executive officer of Crown Bakeries.

Crown noted that its operations team designed the new bun line to accommodate multiple packaging formats for the quick-service restaurant, packaged food manufacturing and retail channels. With a central location just outside Chicago, the line will bring supply chain and logistics benefits to expanded regions, the company said.

“The addition of this new line in Pleasant Prairie allows us to continue raising the bar on quality and reliability while investing in the long-term growth of our business, our team and, above all, our customers,” said Doug Bame, president.

Buns and rolls have been one of the better-performing baked foods segments over the past year. For the 52 weeks through February, center-store buns and rolls sales rose 1.6% in dollars and 0.9% in units year over year, while buns and rolls sales in perimeter bakery departments grew 2.9% in dollars and 2% in units, according to Circana multi-outlet retail sales data reported by food market research firm 210 Analytics.

Crown said the Pleasant Prairie expansion follows recent investments across its production sites — including upgrades to facilities in Philadelphia; Lawrence, Mass.; Nashville; and Smyrna, Ga. — under owner Arbor Investments, a Chicago-based private equity firm.