A year and a half after breaking ground at its manufacturing site in La Rioja, Spain, The Kraft Heinz Company has unveiled a new processing plant in a move that will boost the factory’s capacity by 50%.

The expansion project, which has seen €70 million invested into the factory over the last three years, has resulted in high-speed filling lines and a pilot plant at the food company’s R&D center in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

The investments strengthen the site’s position as one of the most efficient Kraft Heinz factories in Europe, enabling the company to keep up with rising demand for its expanding range of Heinz sauces.

These investments reflect the importance of Heinz within the company’s growth plans, and they will help leverage its scale to boost the brand’s presence in Europe.

“The expansion of our Alfaro factory (in Spain) marks an important step in our journey to become Europe’s No. 1 player in sauces, in and out of home,” says Willem Brandt, president of Kraft Heinz’s European and Pacific Developed Markets. “With increased capacity and new, cutting-edge technology, we’ll be able to respond more readily to evolving culinary trends and tastes – including the demand for healthier versions of fan favorites, like Heinz mayonnaise.”

The creation of this plant will also generate 39 permanent jobs in La Rioja.

In addition to producing a range of Heinz sauces for local and European consumption, the Alfaro plant processes around 25,000 tons of locally grown tomatoes each year for the company’s Orlando brand.

Spain is a production center for Heinz in Europe, and boosting capability in the region brings the company closer to its ambition to lead the future of food.