Malaysia-based Guan Chong Bhd’s recently commissioned UK production facility is slated to increase its production capacity by 16% to 116,000 metric tonnes annually. This will also mark its expansion in Europe market.
The new strategically-located 300,000 sq.ft facility in Suffolk is able to serve chocolate makers across Europe providing them with just-in-time local delivery of liquid and solid products. This facility will also compliment with its existing 100,000 metric tonnes annual capacity at its German subsidiary SCHOKINAG-Schokolade-Industrie GmbH (SCHOKINAG).
Brandon Tay, CEO of Guang Chong said the new facility will cement the company’s growing presence in the industrial chocolate market in Europe. He added, “Moving forward, GCB will continue to assess the possibilities to optimise our operations in the UK, Germany, US, Ivory Coast, Malaysia and Indonesia as we strive to achieve the vision to be the ‘Preferred Cocoa and Chocolate Ingredients Supplier’.”
Guan Chong’s earlier move to enter the industrial chocolate market has proven to be a successful strategic move. “These value-added products accord us a more favourable product mix that will help GCB to enhance our bottom line to meet long-term growth objectives,” he said.
Currently, GCB has a global distribution network of more than 80 distributors and exports cocoa ingredients to clients in more than 70 countries worldwide, including world-famous chocolate makers and other leading cocoa ingredient traders.
