Cargill opens chocolate coatings and fillings plant in Deventer, the Netherlands

28 May 2009

Contact: Wendy Garbutt, +44 1932 861174, wendy_garbutt@cargill.com

Deventer, The Netherlands - 28 May 2009 - Cargill has officially opened its new plant dedicated to chocolate coatings and fillings in Deventer, the Netherlands. The investment in the new plant - made at a cost of €16 million - expands Cargill's existing operations and capabilities at the site. The expansion doubles the production capacity of coatings and allows Cargill to produce a broader range of fillings, particularly for the chocolate industry.

"As the chocolate and confectionery industries continue to respond to the needs of consumers and become more competitive, fillings and coatings are in turn becoming more and more complex", said Jos de Loor, managing director of Cargill's cocoa and chocolate business.

"Cargill can draw from a broad range of product and technical expertise and has access to a large and diverse portfolio of ingredients. In Deventer we now use over 200 ingredients, many of which can be sourced within the Cargill network - including 30 different fats and oils. Our unique ability to combine Cargill's expertise in cocoa, texturizers, flavors, sweeteners, oils and fats allows us to create fully customized, value-added fillings and coatings to meet customers' individual needs."

For many years, Cargill has produced a number of classic and specialty coatings and fillings in Deventer, for use by the bakery, biscuit, cereal, ice cream and confectionery industries. This investment now enables Cargill to produce fillings for the chocolate industry as well.

"Our investment here underlines our long-term commitment to the chocolate industry and our intention to grow our cocoa and chocolate operations, which are already a significant part of our overall food ingredients portfolio" said Paul Naar, executive vice president of Cargill's Food Ingredients and Systems Platform in Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We are looking forward to helping new and existing customers create customized, innovative and value-added fillings and coatings which will differentiate their products in the market place."

The plant at Deventer is ideally located for Cargill in the Netherlands, with strong connections to the company's other chocolate facilities, as well as access to the wider Cargill network of food ingredients and knowledge.

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Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 160,000 employees in 67 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed.

Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business - Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business offers the food industry a wide range of both standard and customized 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, 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, Indonesia and Vietnam. 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. In addition, extensive market research and analysis proves to be a source of valuable information to customers. For more information visit http://www.cargillcocoachocolate.com/