Cargill to Expand its APAC Presence with Aalst Acquisition

Cargill has announced its intent to buy Asian chocolate manufacturer Aalst to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. This acquisition will add to Cargill's growing portfolio of cocoa products that it sells in the APAC.

Aalst has a huge portfolio that features six brands. The company's customer base is spread out in over 50 countries, where it exports industrial, retail, and foodservice clients in key markets such as India, China, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Korea, and Japan.

“The rapidly growing Asian marketplace is increasingly wielding its influence around the globe, sparking inspiration and driving international trends,” said Francesca Kleemans, managing director for Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate Asia-Pacific. “Joining with Aalst strengthens our position in this critical region, enabling us to become the supplier-of-choice for industrial and foodservice customers. With an expanded selection of value-added and specialty chocolate products and deep technical expertise, together we can accelerate innovation, better helping customers create products that continue to surprise and delight.”

After the completion of the acquisition transaction, all the Aalst assets including its manufacturing plant in Singapore, R&D capabilities in Singapore and Shanghai, and over 200 employees across the region will join Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate Asia-Pacific operations.