Cargill has announced two recent expansions at its Izegem edible oils bottling site and its Mouscron gourmet chocolate facility, along with a new extrusion pilot plant at its Vilvoorde Innovation Center. 

Cargill says the approximately €56 million ($65 million) total investment enhances its operational and research and innovation capabilities, as well as its ability to serve growing demand for edible oils, premium chocolate products and customer-led innovation.

With a €21 million ($24 million) investment, Cargill transformed around 60% of its edible oil site, focusing on nearly doubling its capacity and developing automation and innovation intended to improve efficiency and reinforce long-term supply reliability. The expansion also includes two new dedicated foodservice production lines.

In Mouscron, linked to its current gourmet chocolate production site, Cargill’s €30 million ($35 million) investment adds 10,500 square meters of additional production space, almost doubling the company’s gourmet chocolate production capabilities. Cargill says the expansion strengthens its ability to help gourmet chocolate customers respond to seasonal demand, develop more tailored products and shorten lead times. The expanded site will produce Cargill’s premium couverture chocolate range Veliche and support artisanal foodservice customers, restaurants and food manufacturers.

Cargill has also strengthened its European R&D capabilities in Vilvoorde through a €5.4 million ($6.2 million) investment in a new extrusion pilot plant at its Innovation Center. The facility supports rapid prototyping, ingredient functionality testing and customer collaboration across food, feed and pet food applications, and builds on the previously announced €45 million ($52 million) investment in Cargill’s food innovation center in Vilvoorde. Together, these investments strengthen Cargill’s broader European R&D network.

“Belgium is a key strategic hub for Cargill in Europe, thanks to its strong food industry, close customer connectivity and advanced logistics infrastructure that enable efficient supply across Western Europe,” says Geert Maesmans, vice president of R&D for Cargill’s food business in EMEA and Cargill’s Belgium country lead. “These investments not only strengthen our local food R&D and production capabilities but allow us to continue to grow with our customers and provide them with more diverse and innovative food solutions across Belgium and the EMEA region.”

The recent investments add to Cargill’s broader footprint in Belgium, where the company has operated since 1953 and today employs more than 1,500 people across nine locations spanning production, R&D and regional coordination functions.