Cargill set to purchase industrial chocolate facility in Germany

The announcement comes 16 months after Cargill’s first significant investment in chocolate manufacturing in Europe with the purchase of OCG Cacao SA.

20/04/05 Cargill has announced its intention to purchase an industrial chocolate facility – Schierstedter Schokoladefabrik GmbH & Co. KG (SSF) – from its existing customer, Ludwig Schokolade GmbH & Co. KG. The deal is subject to German regulatory approval and is expected to be completed by the summer.

The facility is situated in Klein Schierstedt in eastern Germany and will become part of Cargill’s chocolate business in Europe.

The announcement comes 16 months after Cargill’s first significant investment in chocolate manufacturing in Europe with the purchase of OCG Cacao SA. Cargill now has chocolate facilities in France, Belgium and the UK. The company has been producing industrial and gourmet chocolate in the USA for several years under its Wilbur and, more recently, Peter’s brands. Another Cargill-owned company, Fennema, produces compound coatings, fillings and chocolate products for use within the ice cream, bakery and confectionary industries.

Ludwig Schokolade GmbH & Co. KG is a subsidiary of the German private company, Krueger GmbH & Co. KG. Krueger specialises in the supply of dry drink mixes and retail chocolate under its own brands and to the private label sector.

Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 105,000 employees in