Universal Food Company, a California-based manufacturer of specialty meat snacks, has expanded its presence and leased 8,000 sq. ft of office space. The company also plans to expand its workforce and hire 10-15 more employees.

The added space is located next to Universal's current operations in Rancho Cucamonga. The company will be investing around $500,000 in new renovations and equipment to keep up with projected growth.

Universal Food Co president Anna Kan said that the company outgrew its current 22,000 sq. ft of production and office space: "expanding the size and capacity of its facilities just made sense".

"Moving our administrative staff from our current facility into this new space gives us extra capacity to manufacture our products. We're really excited about ramping up production," Kan added.

Universal Food also anticipates hiring 10-15 additional employees in the next few months so it can cater to the demand for its Asian flavored snacks and jerky. So far this year, Universal Food has hired 20 more employees.

Headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Universal Food Co manufactures specialty meat snacks under the Golden Island Brand.

The company's Golden Island brand of jerky can be found on Costco, Central Markets, and various local Asian store shelves from west to east coast. The manufacturer also recently opened an online store at www.goldenislandgourmet.com.