Cargill shows confidence in chocolate with 16m investment

Cargill has officially opened a new plant for chocolate fillings and coatings in The Netherlands, as part of a wider plan to grow its cocoa and chocolate operations. The company has previously had a coatings factory in Deventer, The Netherlands, but the 16m investment doubles its capacity for coatings used by the bakery, biscuit, cereal, ice-cream and confectionery industries. It can also now produce fillings for the chocolate industry. The move indicates strong long-term confidence in the chocolate sector - despite the recession nibbling at retail chocolate sales in some markets at the present time, as consumers play close attention to their spending. Indeed Jos de Loor, managing director of Cargill's cocoa and chocolate business, said: "Our investment here underlines our long-term commitment to the chocolate industry and our intention to grow our cocoa and chocolate operations." Cargill is also expanding its capacity of cocoa powder at its cocoa press in Wormer, near Amsterdam, and future developments could be on the cards at its cocoa and chocolate plant in Zandaam, which produces cocoa liquor.