Cargill opens its first chocolate factory in Asia.
Minneapolis, Minnesota Cargill is opening its first chocolate manufacturing facility in Asia in collaboration with a regional manufacturer in India. According to Cargill, the factory is anticipated to start up in mid-2021 and initially generate 10,000 tonnes of chocolate compounds.
According to Francesca Kleemans, managing director of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate Asia-Pacific, “Asia is a key growth market for Cargill.” We can better serve the demands of our local Indian consumers as well as the needs of our multinational clients in the region by expanding our regional presence and capabilities in Asia through the opening of a chocolate manufacturing business in India. Additionally, it shows our dedication to bolstering the regional economy by creating 100 new manufacturing jobs.
In order to facilitate trade and supply management of cocoa to Cargill processing facilities in Europe and Brazil, Cargill launched its cocoa presence in Asia in 1995 in Makassar, Indonesia. In Gresik, Indonesia, the company established a cocoa processing facility in 2014 to produce premium Gerkens cocoa products. Cargill anticipates that its new manufacturing facility in India will enable it to swiftly build and expand its operational capacities in order to support the expansion of its clientele in the area.
“We aim to become a leading vendor and trusted partner for our bakery products, ice cream, and confectionery customers in Asia by integrating local insights from our experience and long-standing presence as a food ingredient supplier in India with our global cocoa and chocolate expertise.”