Mondelēz International has invested RM90 million in a new Crumb Tower at its Cadbury plant in Shah Alam, strengthening Malaysia’s chocolate manufacturing capabilities while reducing reliance on imported inputs and positioning the facility to support regional and global supply.
The facility allows Mondelēz to produce chocolate crumb locally for the first time, replacing supplies previously imported from markets including South Africa and Australia. The move is expected to improve self-sufficiency, strengthen supply-chain resilience and create capacity to serve markets beyond Southeast Asia.
The investment, the company’s largest at the Shah Alam site, also introduces greater automation and advanced process technology, including a new-generation T-reactor — the first of its design in Malaysia — alongside automated powder and fat-handling systems.
MIDA Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid said the project demonstrates how quality investment can deliver advanced technology, develop local talent, strengthen domestic supply chains and create future export opportunities.
He added that localisation of chocolate crumb production would reinforce Malaysia’s manufacturing resilience at a time when the food manufacturing sector continues to attract strong investment. The subsector secured RM4.9 billion in approved investments in the first half of 2026, up 40.9% year-on-year.
Mondelēz Malaysia and Singapore Managing Director Simon Crowther said the investment would allow the Shah Alam operation to play a larger role in the group’s regional manufacturing network by combining local production with advanced technology and Malaysian expertise.
The project is also expected to generate wider benefits for Malaysia’s industrial ecosystem. Malaysian engineers and operators have been trained to manage the new systems, while local suppliers involved in the project have qualified to support other Mondelēz facilities globally.
With the new facility, Mondelēz said Shah Alam is now positioned as a reference site for chocolate crumb operations within its global manufacturing network, further strengthening Malaysia’s role in high-value and halal food manufacturing.
