MANAMA: With over $35billion yearly turnover, Mondelez International the world’s leader in snack business, laid the foundation stone for its $90million biscuit plant in the Kingdom of Bahrain on Sunday.
The new plant, what described to be the largest in the region, will start production with initial capacity of 90,000 metric tonnes a year upon completion of phase one, Daniel Myers Executive Vice President of Mondelez International told the guests during the ceremony on Sunday.
Under the patronage of the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Zayed Al Zayani, Mondelēz International laid the cornerstone for construction of its new $90 million biscuit plant in Bahrain as the world’s leading maker of chocolate, biscuits, gum and candy seeks to tap rising demand in the Middle East and Africa for beloved company brands such as Oreo, Ritz and TUC biscuits.
“Demand for our biscuits in the Middle East and Africa has been growing at double-digit rates and investing in a state-of-the-art facility in Bahrain will enable us to capitalize on this,” Myers, said.
This new investment is part of our journey to reinvent our supply chain around the world to meet growth demands, while also reducing costs and improving productivity, Myers added.
“The Kingdom is pride the existence of huge global projects on its territory, we are very pleased to see Mondelēz International moving ahead quickly with construction of this multi-million-dollar facility that will make such a valuable contribution to the economy of Bahrain, and create specialized trained Bahraini labour opportunities with the highest international standards, we look forward to the completion of construction and full commercial operations early next year,” Minister of Industry and Commerce, Zayed R. Alzayani said.
In the initial two- to three-year phase, the plant will operate four biscuit-manufacturing lines producing – in addition to Oreo, Ritz and belVita – Prince and TUC biscuits, as well Barni cakes. Like other state-of-the-art Mondelēz International plants, the facility is expandable.
The new Bahrain plant will create as many as 300 direct jobs by the end of the initial phase and, through a multiplier effect; help sustain over 1,000 more in the local economy. Aimed at meeting demand in the Middle East and Africa for next 20 years, the facility has the potential to generate several hundred more direct jobs and sustain thousands of indirect jobs depending on future investment-decisions.
This is Mondelēz International’s second major investment in Bahrain. The world’s leading snacks powerhouse has already invested more than $75 million in developing a Kraft Cheese and Tang powdered-beverage plant in Bahrain which has been operational since 2008. With a production capacity of 110,000 tons per year, the existing facility employs more than 240 people and has injected over $250 million in the local economy since construction through wages, and purchase of goods and services.