Cargill to double capacity at Belgian chocolate facility

MOUSCRON, Belgium – Cargill said it will invest some $48 million to increase the capacity of its Belgian chocolate production facility in Mouscron within the next two years. The increase will be for liquid dark or milk chocolate and solid chocolate drops and chunks. The raw materials will be sourced from Cargill’s integrated cocoa processing plants in The Netherlands and in France. According to the company, the output of this plant will serve the European demand for confectionery, bakery, dairy and artisanal applications.

“With this investment, Cargill demonstrates its commitment to providing our customers with a broader and more bespoke service and enlarged range of chocolate recipes to meet their individual needs,” said Jos de Loor, president, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate. “The extension of our state-of-the-art facility in Mouscron along with our food ingredient expertise will support our cocoa and chocolate growth strategy.”

The new production lines will be operational in summer 2014 and will lead to the creation of approximately new 40 jobs over the next two years. 

Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate facilities in Belgium are part of its wider cocoa and chocolate network in Western Europe, Africa, Brazil, Canada and the United States. The company has been supplying quality cocoa and chocolate products to customers around the world in the chocolate, confectionery and food industry for over 50 years.

Related link: Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business