MALMÖ, SwedenAAK, a leading manufacturer of high value-added specialty vegetable fats, is investing approximately SEK$400 million (US$62 million) to build a new specialty and semi-specialty edible oils factory in Jundiai, São Paulo, Brazil. The factory, which will increase AAKs total capacity by 100,000 to 120,000 metric tons, is expected to be operational by the end of 2015.
There is a large potential for AAK in the Brazilian market. It is the worlds seventh largest economy and a number of our global customers already have significant presence. Currently, AAK has a well established Chocolate & Confectionery business supplying out of our factory in Montevideo, Uruguay. However, pursuing our global growth strategy, AAK needs to be present with production capability also in Brazil. This new factory is an integral part of AAKtion, and adds presence in a growth market which is identified as strategically important," said Arne Frank, president and CEO, AAK Group.
Edmond Borit, managing director AAK South America said the new factory will expand its product portfolio of Food Ingredients and Chocolate & Confectionery products in Brazil and particularly strengthen the companys ability of supplying Bakery and Dairy solutions, as well as further develop our Chocolate & Confectionery business.
The new factory also will include an Innovation Center that allows AAK customers to work closely with AAK´s Customer Innovation team when developing new products and solutions.
In October 2013, AAK opened a new state-of-the-art Innovation Center in Shanghai to support the execution of the AAK Acceleration program. The Innovation Center gives customers the possibility to work closely with AAK´s Customer Innovation team when developing new products and solutions. The new facility has a primary focus on Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery and Dairy solutions.