Concentrates producer Agrana invests $25m in Chinese facility

Austrian fruit ingredients producer Agrana will invest almost €22 million in a new manufacturing facility in eastern China.

The site – at a high-tech industry park in the city of Changzhou, near Shanghai – is Agrana’s largest single investment in China. Once completed, it will focus on R&D activity for jam, jam ingredients, fruit juice concentrates, fruit and vegetable products, and seasonings.

The Austrian business makes a range of fruit juice concentrates and fruit products for the global food and beverage industry, as well as sugar products and infant dairy. It is spending €21.75 million on the Changzhou project.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018, with the facility operational by 2019.

It will serve some of Agrana’s highest-profile customers, including Danone, Mengniu, Bright Dairy, and Unilever.

“Agrana is the first European food processing firm to establish a footprint in Changzhou National Hi-Tech District,” a spokesperson for the company said.

“The district has attracted investors from 68 countries and regions worldwide, with 1,580 foreign-owned firms having located a facility there, including 43 of the Fortune 500 firms. Changzhou National Hi-Tech District boasts more than 33 projects each featuring an investment exceeding $100 million with combined foreign investment over $9 billion.

“A number of leading multinational companies including Lanxess, ThyssenKrupp and Novelis have chosen to invest in the district.”

Agrana’s investment will be a boost to its global fruit processing operation, which currently accounts for 44% of its total revenues.