SunOpta to set up speciality cocoa facility in Netherlands

SunOpta International Foods is set to establish a new organic and speciality cocoa facility in Middenmeer, the Netherlands, a move which will expand the company’s integrated processing capabilities.

The facility, which will be operated as the Crown of Holland, will process internationally sourced cocoa beans into cocoa liquor, butter and powder.

It will provide the capacity to accommodate the company’s expanding organic and speciality cocoa processing operations, which are currently handled by third parties.

SunOpta stated that the plant, which will process organic and speciality cocoa products, is being constructed using environmentally friendly building materials and advanced technologies.

Testing and commissioning of the new facility is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2013, while the transfer of the company’s existing cocoa volume will be completed by July 2013.

Once operational, the plant is expected to process approximately 9,000t of raw cocoa annually.

As the company will have its own processing operations, it plans to expand its organic and speciality cocoa business and offer certified and speciality cocoa products to the speciality chocolate industry.

SunOpta chief executive officer Steve Bromley said the expansion is in line with the company’s strategy of becoming a pure play natural and organic foods company, aggressively growing its ingredients and packaged foods portfolio.

"This dedicated organic and speciality cocoa facility adds to our value-added processing capabilities in our International Foods Group and increases our capacity to service this fast-growing market segment," Bromley said.

SunOpta International Foods president Gerard Versteegh said that the new cocoa facility will result in increased control over the business and increased margins, especially when the company boosts throughput.

SunOpta, headquartered in Brampton, Canada, specialises in sourcing, processing and packaging of natural and organic food products, integrated from seed through packaged products.

The company offers organic soybeans, grains, liquid and spray-dried soymilk, soy flours, maltodextrins, sweeteners, vegetable oils, textured soy proteins, milled corn products, and cereal grains and flours.