As the economy shows signs of improving, bakeries are beginning to grow their businesses again by adding square footage and new locations.

Tennessee Cheesecake Co.

Tennessee Cheesecake Co. is building a new 10,000-sq.-ft. facility in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. The new building will be five times larger than its current location in West Nashville. A small retail bakery also is part of the plans. The nearly 30-year-old family business sells gourmet cheesecakes, from 2-oz. minis to 7-lb. cakes, through brokers and food distributors to the foodservice sector.

According to a report on Tennessean.com, the company has $1 million in annual sales and expects sales to increase 10 percent this year. Tennessee Cheesecake currently has five full-time employees and plans to add as many as four more.

Bruegger's

Canadians will be able to enjoy Bruegger's bagels as the company now offers its New York-style bagels at three locations in Toronto. The stores are co-located with mmmuffins, a 32-unit chain that was part of Timothy's Coffees of World Inc.'s restaurant holdings, which Bruegger's acquired in November 2009. The company operates 292 bagel bakeries in 26 states.

“We pride ourselves on making the most authentic New York-style bagels anywhere, and are pleased to share the centuries-old, time-tested tradition with Canadians,” said Jim Greco, C.E.O., Bruegger's Enterprises, Burlington, Vt.

Co-branded Bruegger's mmmuffins locations will continue to provide the freshly baked muffins, cookies, croissants, Danishes, soups, sandwiches and freshly ground coffee that the mmmuffins chain is known for.

Harvest Time Bread Co.

Harvest Time Bread Co., Woodbridge, N.J., will invest $4.5 million to expand its bakery operations in the southeastern United States, said Rich Paolino, C.E.O. “We're investing to expand both our product and service offerings to our clients-national and regional foodservice companies, restaurants, grocery stores and retail chains.”

The company will purchase its current 70,000-sq.-ft. bakery in Mount Airy, N.C., along with investing in new equipment and additional employees. With 86 current employees, the company plans to add 38 new positions in the Mount Airy facility.

“Our customers value Harvest Time as a highly flexible link in their supply chain. We're making this significant capital investment to further improve our ability to produce and deliver our artisan and custom lines of premium sandwich rolls and table breads with the right quality and taste at the right price point to our customers-and their customers,” Paolino said.

The investment was made possible in part by a $100,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.

This marks the second major capital expansion for the company this year. Harvest Time recently installed $1.5 million worth of new equipment at the Mount Airy site and at its bakery facility in Woodbridge.

Harvest Time offers a variety of products in six categories: artisan breads and rolls, European specialty foods, all-natural breads and rolls, sandwich rolls, whole grain breads and organic breads and rolls.

Country Oven Bakery

Supplying frozen dough, breads and iced cakes to Kroger supermarkets' in-store bakeries, Country Oven Bakery, Bowling Green, Ky., will invest $10.6 million to expand its plant and add 33 jobs. Currently employing about 450 people, the bakery plans to add 50,000 sq. ft. to its current 177,000-sq.-ft. facility to accommodate a second cake line. Construction is scheduled to begin next month and be completed by October, with the new production equipment up and running in December or January.

Spicy Pickle

Spicy Pickle Franchising Inc., Denver, operator of the Spicy Pickle fast-casual foodservice chain, announced the latest in its recent expansion spate, a second location in Houston. The newest location joins a third San Diego unit and a Temecula, Calif., location, both opened in the last few months. The company also has a third location in Austin, Texas, and a second unit in Las Vegas under construction. Earlier this year, Spicy Pickle announced its franchise agreement to open a restaurant in Billings, Mont.

The chain sells panini and sub sandwiches made with high quality meat and artisan bread, baked fresh daily, along with a choice of eight cheeses, 22 toppings and 14 proprietary spreads.