The sweet aroma of money has gotten stronger along a section of Strathern Street in Van Nuys. About $80 million stronger.

That’s how much Swiss baked goods company Aryzta AG spent expanding its La Brea Bakery plant.

“It’s not cheap. It’s a very large investment,” La Brea Bakery President and CEO John Yamin said.

More spending could come in the future, too.

“We’ve been around for 25 years,” he said. “We’re still an infant and we will have some more room to grow. The Los Angeles community has been very good to us. We have a lot of great support and that’s why we’ve been here for a long time.”

The company added 66,000 square feet and two new artisan bread lines in the expansion, creating a 130,000-square-foot baking facility. La Brea Bakery hired 115 workers, bringing total employment to 343, and will likely add 120 more over the next 18 months, Yamin said.

He would not have built anywhere else in the city for a simple reason. Van Nuys is a great location.

“When we opened there 17 years ago what we found was the best thing about it was the employee base,” Yamin said. “There is such a great workforce in that area and when it came to expanding it was an easy decision to make. They are great workers and they take such great pride in their work.”

The new baking facility was a quick rising project after the plans were drafted last May.

“We moved pretty quickly. We just opened and are selling bread out of there,” Yamin said. “Last week was our first week. That’s a very fast time for a bakery to come together.”

The company benefited from a more business friendly attitude that is evolving at City Hall.

He said that City Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who represents the Van Nuys area, helped shepherd the project through the permitting process.

“Nury was extremely helpful to us with the permitting process. I understand we’re a complex (city) and there are permits you need. Sometimes it can be overwhelming,” he said. “She was able to cut through the red tape.”

The opening of the new bakery wing illustrates that effort, Martinez said.

“I grew up at a time when the San Fernando Valley was home to many manufacturing jobs and (this) is an example of how the city can assist new companies with their continued growth, “ said Martinez in a statement. “When I think of the revitalization that I want to see in Van Nuys, I see La Brea Bakery as a key partner. This expansion is just one example that Van Nuys … can thrive.”