Hershey, a US-based chocolate producer, is set to open a new $250m confectionery manufacturing plant in Johor, Malaysia, to cater to the growing demand for its products in the region.
The 700,000ft2 facility is scheduled to be completed in early 2015 and it will be one of the largest facilities in the company's global manufacturing network.
Featuring innovations in automated candy-making technology and high-speed wrapping machines, the plant will produce Hershey's Kisses, Ice Breakers, Reese's and Hershey's Milk Chocolate bars as well as finished products of any Hershey factory outside the US and Mexico.
The plant's location provides Hershey with easy distribution access to more than 25 markets across Asia.
Hershey senior vice president and chief supply chain officer Terence O'Day said, "Consumers across Asia are discovering a range of Hershey confectionery products, and China in particular is growing faster than any other market.
"Our new Malaysia plant will feature the latest confectionery manufacturing technology and will complement production at our existing joint-venture plant in China."
"Adding this new manufacturing capacity will put us in a strong position to meet the growing demand for our products across the region," O'Day added.
