Cargill commissions new cocoa processing plant in Gresik, East Java

BALI, Indonesia, May 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill announced that by the end of this month it will begin cocoa processing tests at its state-of-the-art cocoa processing plant in Gresik, in the East Java region of Indonesia.

Construction of the plant is nearing completion. When the plant opens later this year it will have capabilities to process approximately 70,000 metric tons of cocoa beans into cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor for customers in Indonesia and other Asian countries.

The Gresik facility will be Cargill's first cocoa processing plant in Asia, set up to better serve the needs of customers in Asia. The company's latest $100 million investment in Indonesia demonstrates Cargill's commitment to develop and grow Indonesia's cocoa industry, while strengthening the company's cocoa sourcing network and cocoa sustainability activities in Indonesia.

The cocoa beans to be processed at the plant will be supplied primarily from Sulawesi, where cocoa farming is the principal income for hundreds of thousands of families and where Cargill has been sourcing cocoa since 1995. With the plant opening, Cargill will create approximately 200 new jobs in Indonesia, as well as additional positions in its existing R&D application center in Kuala Lumpur.

"The commissioning of our new facility brings us one step closer to the realization of our plans to go live," said Jos de Loor, president, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate. "This also signals that we are closer to meeting the demands and needs of our customers in this region and in Indonesia. As a leading global processor of cocoa, Cargill is committed to providing our customers with high-quality cocoa, grown in a sustainable way. Cargill has seen a significant growth in demand for cocoa products across Asia. We plan to continue investment in the region to support the growth of the region and source local crops to produce high-quality cocoa products to meet the needs of customers across the Asia region."

In another development in Indonesia, Cargill has just launched its second Indonesian Cargill Cocoa Promise program in Soppeng, South Sulawesi. The Cargill Cocoa Promise is the company's global commitment to the development of a sustainable cocoa supply chain and to making a difference in three key areas – improving the lives of cocoa farmers, supporting cocoa farming communities, and investing in the future of cocoa farming.

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and nearly 150 years of experience. We have 143,000 employees in 67 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

About Cargill in Indonesia
Cargill began doing business in Indonesia in 1974 by establishing a feed mill in Bogor, West Java. Today, Cargill is headquartered in Jakarta and has more than 11,000 employees. We have 26 locations with offices, manufacturing plants and facilities throughout the country. Business activities comprise animal nutrition, cocoa, grain and oilseeds, palm oil, copra and sugar. Cargill is a responsible corporate citizen of Indonesia, and its local programs foster responsible and sustainable development, help protect the environment, and nourish the people and possibilities that reside in local communities. For more information, visit www.cargill.co.id

Cargill's Cocoa Promise
Cargill's Cocoa Promise is a commitment by the company made in 2012 to continue to partner with local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), customers and farmer organizations – to make a difference to the lives of farmers and their communities, and to create value for our customers and our business by securing better quality cocoa.  Cargill will continue to invest and provide financing, training and support to maintain and strengthen a sustainable cocoa supply chain in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil.

About Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate
Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate offers the food industry a wide range of both standard and customised cocoa and chocolate ingredients to be used in delicious bakery, confectionery, and dairy applications all over the world. Our product range includes high quality Gerkens® cocoa powders, chocolate including Wilbur®, Peter's® and Veliche®, 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.

Our facilities in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Germany, Ghana, the Netherlands, UK and the USA are fully dedicated to produce in accordance with the highest food safety standards.

To secure a good quality and sustainable supply of cocoa beans we have our own cocoa bean sourcing operations for buying, handling and/or exporting of cocoa beans in Brazil, Cameroon, Cote 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 our customers' doorstep. In addition, extensive market research and analysis proves to be a source of valuable information to our customers.

SOURCE Cargill