Mondelez International has recently announced the completion of its RM90 million (US$22.24 million) Crumb Tower at the Cadbury Confectionery plant in Shah Alam.
This represents Mondelez’ single largest investment at the site, reinforcing its long-term confidence in Selangor and Malaysia as a strategic base for advanced chocolate manufacturing.
Cadbury confectionery products have been made in Selangor since 1974. The new Crumb Tower strengthens the Shah Alam plant’s chocolate manufacturing capabilities through greater automation, advanced process technology and enhanced operational efficiency supporting Malaysia’s competitiveness in value-added food manufacturing.
The main focus of the investment is in the production of chocolate crumb, a key building block in the chocolate-making process. Previously imported from South Africa and Australia, crumb can now be produced locally in Shah Alam. This strengthens the site’s self-sufficiency, builds supply-chain resilience and creates capacity to support markets beyond Southeast Asia.
The Crumb Tower integrates 3 advanced manufacturing systems: a fully enclosed high-capacity powder handling system, a new-generation T-reactor, the first of its design in Malaysia and an advanced fat handling system engineered to rigorous process-safety standards. Together, they enable a highly automated and digitally controlled production process. The facility was designed to meet international quality and food-safety standards, with Halal requirements integrated at every stage of production.
The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) is instrumental in supporting the development of the Crumb Tower at the Cadbury manufacturing facility in Shah Alam. This investment reflects Mondelez’ continued confidence in Malaysia as a strategic manufacturing base, while demonstrating the value that quality investment can bring through advanced technology, local talent development, stronger domestic supply chains, and future export opportunities.
The localisation of chocolate crumb production strengthens Malaysia’s manufacturing capabilities and supply chain resilience. Food manufacturing remains one of the most rapidly growing sub-sectors in the country with RM4.9 billion (US$1.21 billion) of approved investments in the first half of 2026. This represents a 40.9% growth year-on-year.
According to Simon Crowther, Managing Director of Mondelēz International Malaysia and Singapore, the Crumb Tower is a significant milestone for the company’s Southeast Asia manufacturing and supply chain network. By bringing chocolate crumb production in-house at Shah Alam, it is not only strengthening supply-chain resilience and leveraging domestic production but also building world-class technical capabilities locally.
“The advanced systems we’ve integrated here — from the new-generation T-reactor to the automated powder and fat handling systems – set a benchmark for operational excellence. This positions the Shah Alam plant as a true reference site within our global manufacturing network and underscores our confidence in Malaysian talent and expertise,” added Nitin Binnani, SEA MSC Director, Mondelez International.
Indirectly, the new investment has also supported the development of Malaysian suppliers who are trained and involved in this project to also support other Mondelez sites globally.
Mondelēz International (Malaysia) is part of the Mondelēz International group of companies with net revenue of approximately US$36.4 billion in 2024. In Southeast Asia, Mondelez has operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
