Mondelez International has broken ground on its new $90m biscuit plant in Bahrain, in a move to cater to growing demand for its Oreo, Ritz and TUC biscuits in the Middle East and Africa.
Earlier this month, the company signed a lease agreement to procure 250,000m2 land in the Salman Industrial City for the plant, reports TradeArabia News.
Commenting on the development, Bahrain Minister of Commerce & Industry Zayed R. Alzayani was quoted by Zawya as saying: "Having confirmed the project in October 2014, we are very pleased to see Mondelez International moving ahead quickly with construction of this multi-million-dollar facility that will make such a valuable contribution to the economy and people of Bahrain.
"We look forward to the completion of construction and full commercial operations early next year."
With the commercial production scheduled to commence during early 2016, the new facility will operate four biscuit-manufacturing lines during the initial two- to three-year phase, with an overall capacity of about 90,000t per year.
The new plant is expected to create 300 direct jobs by the end of the initial phase.
Mondelez has already invested over $75m in developing a Kraft Cheese and Tang powdered-beverage plant in Bahrain which has been operational since 2008.
The existing plant with a production capacity of 110,000 tons per year employs over 240 people.
Image: Bahrain Minister of Industry & Commerce, Dr. Hassan Fakhro and Mondelez International Middle East Area vice president Vishal Tikku. Photo: courtesy of Mondelez International.
