Kilchberg / CH. (ls) Lindt + Sprüngli Schweiz AG makes significant investments in its production facility in Olten and thus strengthens Switzerland as a business location for the long term. In 2018, more than CHF 30 million are allocated for the expansion of and capacity increases in the so called Lindt Cocoa Center. The plant in Olten is responsible for producing cocoa mass for the European Lindt plants within the global production network.
As a Swiss company with a tradition of almost 175 years, Lindt + Sprüngli is continuously strengthening Switzerland as a business location and invests in the expansion of its facilities every year. In 2018, it will focus on the extension of the Group’s largest cocoa mass plant. More than CHF 30 million will be provided for the expansion and modernisation of the international Lindt competence center for cocoa mass in Olten throughout the current year.
Lindt + Sprüngli is one of the few companies, which controls every step of its chocolate production – from the selection of the cocoa beans right through to the finished product – in other words, «from bean to bar». The production site in Olten is the largest plant in the entire production network for this first processing step, the refining of cocoa beans to cocoa mass. Thus, the expansion of the Lindt Cocoa Center represents a key project for Switzerland and safeguards the supply of cocoa mass for the production sites in Europe for the long term.
In addition to setting-up another line for roasting cocoa beans and a new loading bay, an installation of a state-of-the-art research facility for tests on beans, recipes and processes is scheduled. Other areas will also be brought up to speed with the latest technology.
The beans, mainly sourced from West Africa and Latin American origins for fine flavour cocoa varieties are first shipped to the Netherlands and transported to Olten via rail. The ideal connection to railway infrastructure was therefore decisive for choosing Olten as a location close to the headquarters in Kilchberg. Today, cocoa beans are delivered environmentally friendly by more than 400 train wagons and stored in the plant’s characteristic silos for further processing. The cocoa mass is then delivered to the production companies in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and France. In all factories, local processing and refinement of the chocolate must meet rigorous Swiss standards.
The newly increased capacities in Olten will support future growth of the entire Lindt + Sprüngli Group by spring 2019.
