Mondelēz makes cookie factory in Flanders its 2nd-largest
The oven is working overtime at the Mondelēz cookie factory in Flanders, as the American food giant increases its production of Prince, TUC and PiM’s cookies. To support this growth, the famous cookie manufacturer is investing EUR 30 million in the Herentals plant, making it the group's second-largest in Europe.
An appetite for growth
Chicago-based Mondelēz International is known throughout the cookie industry as the producer of iconic brands such as LU, Oreo, Côte d'Or and Milka. It is regarded as Europe’s biggest snack company and has 133 manufacturing plants on five continents. With a total production capacity of 1.6 million cookies per hour, it’s fair to say the plant in Flanders is fruitful.
Yet, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Mondelez International had to move production of the famous TUC cracker elsewhere. The two existing production lines in Flanders were expanded with a new line, creating an additional capacity of 6,500 tons. This expansion will support growth of up to 40% and create 10 to 20 additional jobs
The cream of the crop
By 2024, the Flanders plant will also be expanded with a state-of-the-art production hall for the chocolate cream filling of the popular Prince cookies. There will also be a new electric oven for PiM's cookies and new packaging equipment for Bastogne cookies.
In addition, the factory will introduce new IT systems for warehouse management and to ensure and improve production efficiency. The increased production capacity will help the group meet its growth ambitions in the European cookie market, Mondelēz asserts.
We continue modernizing the production facilities at our Herentals site to create a highly efficient and robust supply infrastructure.
The biggest cookie lovers
The Mondelēz plant in Flanders is the group's second-largest in Europe, producing 60,000 to 70,000 tons of cookies a year and another 30,000 tons of chocolate.
The investment will enable the Flanders plant to develop its competitiveness and prepare for future growth.
Only the Czech plant, where Oreos roll off the assembly line, is larger. With this investment, Mondelēz International reaffirms its confidence in the expertise of the Flanders plant.
Reported by
newspaper De Tijd
