MURRAY, KY. — Kenlake Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kroger Co., is expanding its manufacturing operation in Calloway County, Ky., with a $24 million investment that creates 15 local high-wage jobs.

The investment will add 6,000 square feet to the company’s Murray operation, meaning the facility will total 215,000 square feet.

The expansion also will include the installation of new processing equipment for dry roasting and packaging several nut lines.

Kenlake Foods has supplied snack, baking and produce nuts to all Kroger retail divisions since 1982.

The company also specializes in manufacturing more than 800 items, mostly dry mixes and salted nuts, and processes pudding, gelatins, drink mixes, instant oatmeal and oats.

Kenlake’s facility in Murray, Ky., is one of the first 41 Kroger manufacturing plants built in the United States and currently employs more than 340.