Cargill is investing US$50mn to expand its poultry processing operations at its facility located in the Nakhon Ratchasima province in Thailand
The expansion is expected to create 1,400 new jobs and add to the more than 13,500 employees that the company currently. Cargill has revealed plans to engage several independent smallholder broiler farms in the local community to meet the increase demand in broiler chicken. Construction of a new building annexed to the current facility began on 21 October 2016 and is expected to start operating in the first quarter of 2018.
The company commented that the expansion is due to an increase in customer demand and strong customer confidence in the high quality and safety standards of the chicken products produced by Cargill in Thailand.
Commenting on the move, Hans Kabat, president of Cargill Protein Southeast Asia said, “Cargill has been in the Thai poultry industry for 25 years and has grown to become the leading exporter of fully-cooked chicken products in the country. I attribute this to our uncompromising approach to food innovation, quality and safety, a talented and efficient local workforce working in a strictly safe environment, and a close partnership with the Thai authorities. This expansion is thanks to the confidence and trust our customers place in our products, our people and our commitment to deliver.”
Cargill Protein Southeast Asia has been steadily growing in this region thanks to growing customer demand and consumer appetite for poultry products in Asia Pacific. In May, it formed a joint venture with Jollibee Foods Corporation, the largest Asian food service company, to establish a poultry processing facility in the Philippines, creating 1,000 jobs in the process. In September, it started a joint venture with leading agri-food business Japfa to produce and supply fully-cooked poultry products in Indonesia.
Kabat added that these investments strengthened Cargill’s position as a leader in food and agriculture industries in Asia Pacific, and reinforced the company’s abilities to meet the changing food demands in the region. It also reflects the tremendous growth opportunities for Cargill in Asia Pacific and our commitment to continue to invest in the region and its people,” added Kabat.
