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Cargill has increased the capacity of its coatings and fillings plant in Deventer, the Netherlands, by 60% to help its European customers meet current chocolate confectionery trends.

The facility in Deventer is devoted exclusively to the production of coatings and fillings, the only of its kind across Cargill’s European manufacturing facilities.

It aims to provide innovative solutions for customers navigating the volatile chocolate confectionery market environment, producing a range of coatings that offer a wide variety of mouthfeel, flavour and texture qualities to deliver high-quality and less cocoa-dependent sensorial experiences.

The upgraded facility includes a segregated nut-free production line for compounds without nuts. This is separate from a line for products containing hazelnut. Both lines have been developed to maximise efficiency, increase production volume and offer more flexibility for customers. The facility can produce speciality requests, such as vegan, low-sugar and palm oil-free coatings and fillings.

Michiel van der Bom, product line director for cocoa and chocolate at Cargill Food Solutions, EMEA, commented: “These are dynamic times for the chocolate market. Current product demand outstrips supply, and a diverse range of speciality trends is entering the mainstream.”

“But there are some nuances here. While demand for compound is projected to increase, growth is expected to be even stronger in specialty segments such as vegan and low-in-sugar chocolate confectionery, ice cream and bakery products. With this in mind, Cargill has responded by continuing to expand its portfolio and compound production capacity, meeting these demands and delivering the solutions our customers need.”

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