Agro Perspectiva

Cargill officially opens extended chocolate facility in Belgium

22.06.2015 10:00 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Manufacturers active in confectionery, biscuits, ice cream or cereals will benefit from increased supply of Belgian chocolate following the official inauguration of Cargill’s newly expanded world class chocolate facility in Mouscron, Belgium.

The ˆ35 million investment doubles production capacity for a product range including dark and milk liquid chocolate, drops and chunks and lactose-free dark chocolate. The extension comprises additional production lines, storage tanks and warehouse space and is complemented by new social rooms for operators and office space. The new building has been designed with innovative high-tech equipment aiming to reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.

The state-of-the-art facility was officially opened in the presence of the Minister President of the Fédération Bruxelles Wallonie, Mr. Rudy Demotte, Mrs. Inge Demeyere, managing director of Cargill’s chocolate business Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia together with local dignitaries and customers.

«Our customers are turning to us to provide market insights, creative solutions, high quality products and reliable supply. With the extension of our facility, we are now able to open up to numerous new opportunities, enabling us to address the consumer trends of the future,» said Inge Demeyere. «We are building on a strong heritage in cocoa and chocolate together with our customers. This is the result of a dedicated focus on innovation and a unique combination of our food ingredients portfolio.»

The chocolate facility in Mouscron opened in 2003, and some 150 people work on site. Together with the other sites in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, the Netherlands, UK and the USA, Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business has a strong network and capabilities to serve a wide range of customers.

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 152,000 employees in 67 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

Cargill was established in Belgium as Cargill nv via a grain importing office in Antwerp in 1953. We now have over 1000 employees in nine locations: Antwerp (two locations), Izegem, Gent, Herent, Vilvoorde, Mechelen, Mouscron and Villers-le-Bouillet. The company has a number of different and diverse operations in the country, including the production of food ingredients and the processing, distribution and trading of a variety of agricultural products. Cargill’s European Headquarters for its food businesses and Cargill’s R&D Centre Europe, Cargill’s primary technical centre serving Europe, the Middle East and Africa are also located in Belgium.

Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business offers the food industry a wide range of both standard and customised cocoa and chocolate ingredients for use in delicious bakery, confectionery and dairy applications all over the world. The company’s product range includes high quality Gerkens® cocoa powders, chocolate, coatings, fillings, cocoa liquors and cocoa butters. With years of experience in technical food expertise Cargill supports its customers in new recipes and new product development.

Cargill’s processing plants in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, the Netherlands, UK and the USA are in full compliance with the highest food safety standards.

To secure a good quality and sustainable supply of cocoa beans, Cargill has its own cocoa bean sourcing operations for buying, handling and exporting of cocoa beans in Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia. Presence in all the leading producing countries allows Cargill to oversee the supply chain from beans at origin to cocoa and chocolate products on its customers’ doorsteps.