Cargill today announced the expansion of its edible oil plant in Port Klang, Malaysia with a new specialty fats production line. The multi-million-dollar investment will broaden Cargill’s global portfolio with more comprehensive specialty fat products and strengthen its overall food solutions offerings, enabling customers to develop chocolate confectionery, bakery and dairy products tailored to diverse market and consumer needs.
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The expanded facility in Port Klang enables advanced palm oil processes, producing a broad and versatile range of cocoa butter equivalents, low-trans fatty acid cocoa butter replacers, and specialty fats for chocolate confectionery, frying, baking or fillings applications.
Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the global chocolate market, with its share projected to rise from 19.6% in 2025 to 22.0% by 2030, while Europe remains the largest market and North America continues steady growth; the Middle East is also expanding significantly. This growth is supported by rising incomes, urbanization, and evolving consumer preferences, driving demand for chocolate as well as bakery products such as pastries and baked goodsi.
At the same time, consumers are increasingly paying closer attention to ingredients and nutritional profiles, while continuing to expect high-quality taste and texture in chocolate and bakery productsii. As delivery and takeaway grow, manufacturers and foodservice operators are looking for solutions that help products, from fried items to baked goods, maintain taste and texture from kitchen to consumer, with consistent performance during preparation, holding and transport.
“The new production line at our Port Klang facility supports customers with reliable access to high-quality, versatile specialty fats. As food producers navigate evolving cocoa and ingredient markets, our expanded specialty fats portfolio provides an alternative solution with greater flexibility to optimize formulations while maintaining consistent taste and texture. This strengthens our ability to work with chocolate, confectionery, bakery and dairy customers as a trusted supplier and innovation partner,” said Kashan Rashid, Vice President and Managing Director, Cargill’s Food Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
The plant expansion enhances Cargill’s specialty fats portfolio with a broader range of solutions under its existing brands:
- Coconera™: Cargill’s cocoa butter equivalent designed for a wide range of chocolate applications, from coatings for praline shells, nuts, and wafers to molding chocolate. As a reliable alternative, Coconera™ helps manufacturers stabilize ingredient costs while ensuring consistent supply and performance across products.
- Olinera™ NH is Cargill’s non-hydrogenated, non-tempered cocoa butter replacer solution that delivers richer cocoa flavor through its compatibility with cocoa butter and other fats, offering both elevated sensory experiences and greater recipe flexibility.
- Ocolna™ offers specialty fat for chocolate spreads and soft fillings. Ocolna™ delivers glossy appearance, smooth texture, and stable performance with excellent flavor release. With less than 1% trans-fat and reduced risk of oil separation, it ensures soft, flowable spreads and fillings that remain consistent across a wide temperature range
- CremoFLEX™: Offers a versatile range of filling fats designed for bakery and confectionery with less than 1% trans-fat, giving manufacturers the flexibility to create premium, indulgent recipes with consistent quality.
Beyond strengthening its existing portfolio, Cargill is introducing new brands with semi-customized specialty fat blends to help customers respond to shifting market needs:
- Cargill Bakefry™, a high-performance frying fat designed for foodservice and quick-service restaurant operators, delivering excellent frying stability and reduced oil weeping to help fried products, such as donuts, maintain quality from fryer to consumer.
- Cargill Bakefill™, a specialty fat for fillings such as buttercream and bakery cream, helping cakes stay moist by keeping syrup and fat well emulsified, reducing separation and improving filling stability for consistent quality.
Cargill operates two edible oil facilities in Malaysia that play a central role in its global specialty fats operations, supplying customers across Asia Pacific and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). These operations are supported by global sourcing of palm-based and specialty oils such as shea, which are further processed into high-performance ingredients, ensuring a reliable and diversified supply.
The Port Klang site is the first within Cargill’s global edible oils network to deploy specialty fats processing technology, strengthening its capability to deliver a broader and more diverse product portfolio. Cargill’s Lipid R&D center, also located at the Port Klang plant, enables rapid product and process development with customers, supported by analytical capabilities, performance evaluation, and optimisation.
This expansion builds on a prior $20 million dollar investment in 2020 to expand and modernize the same facility. Together, these investments strengthen Cargill’s position as a reliable specialty oil solution provider for key food industry segments including foodservice, confectionery, and bakery, while reinforcing its ability to serve customers through its integrated global network.
About Cargill
Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.
Our 155K+ employees innovate with purpose, providing customers with life’s essentials so businesses can grow, communities prosper, and consumers live well. With 160 years of experience as a family company, we look ahead while remaining true to our values. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing – today and for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
About Cargill in Malaysia
Cargill has been operating in Malaysia since 1978. Today, our businesses include vegetable oil refining and the production of value-added products; grain and oilseed distribution; the sale of corn and soybeans; starches, sweeteners, and texturizers; as well as cocoa and chocolate products. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Cargill currently employs about 560 people across three locations countrywide.
i MarketsandMarkets, Cocoa and Chocolate Market – Global Forecast to 2030, August 2025.
ii Cargill, TrendTracker 2025: Navigating the Future of Food & Beverage, 2025
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