Food and beverage giant Mondelez’s $90 million biscuit factory was inaugurated last month by Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, son of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

Dubbed as the `Factory of the Future’, the state-of-the-art biscuit manufacturing plant produces Oreo cookies and Barni soft cakes, and will also serve as a hub for exports to the Gulf region, the Levant and Africa as it will reduce delivery costs and improve product freshness.

Located at the Bahrain International Investment Park, Hidd, the 250,000-sq-m manufacturing plant has a production capacity of nearly 45,000 tonnes per year, which can be doubled over time, according to Maurizio Brusadelli, EVP and president, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Mondelēz International.

The new plant is located 3 km from Mondelez’ first manufacturing site, which has been producing Kraft cheese and Tang powdered beverages since 2008.

Mondelez aims to export $500 million worth of products from Bahrain when both of its plants are operating at optimum capacity. Starting with 13 countries, the Bahrain plant will be producing for 20 countries by the end of this year, he added.

Mondelez’s new plant manufactures Oreo cookies and Barnie cakes

Brusadelli said: “The Middle East and Africa are priority markets for us, and we’re confident in our selection of Bahrain as the preferred location for our plant, due to its business-friendly environment, skilled local workforce and excellent transport links, all of which will be instrumental to the success of our growth plans.”

“We thank the Government of Bahrain for their continued support. This site is our second major investment in the kingdom over the past 10 years, further strengthening Bahrain’s position as a strategic business hub and contributing to national economic growth,” he added.

Mondelez’s new investment marks the company’s second expansion over the last decade after investing more than $75 million in developing a Kraft Cheese and Tang powdered beverage plant in 2008.

Since 2008 Mondelez has injected more than $250 million into the local economy, employing over 150 people directly and help sustain over 12,000 more indirect jobs in the local economy through its two plants, including 350 suppliers, Brusadelli added.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the new factory at the Salman Industrial City in Hidd, the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Al Zayani minister said the start of production at the factory marks the realisation of their vision of ‘Ocean to Oreo’ as Bahrain won the project despite not having the land for it.

The new plant has already made a valuable contribution to the local economy, created about 150 direct jobs, and through the two plants together will help sustain more than 12,000 indirect jobs with 350 suppliers.

Daniel Myers, executive vice president, Integrated Supply Chain, Mondelēz International said: “This investment in Bahrain is a great example of how we are building a world-class supply chain, with Factories of the Future in strategic locations around the world designed to simplify operations, increase flexibility, improve productivity and meet the growth demands of our Power Brands.”

“We are keenly focused on winning with our consumers and customers, as we simplify and modernise our operations and production capacity. We’re making our company more nimble and efficient, creating the fuel we need to invest in our brands and our people – our most important assets – and deliver sustainable, profitable growth for our shareholders,” he added.

Commending Mondelez for the new project, Simon Galpin, managing director, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) said: «Manufacturing is a growing component of Bahrain’s gross domestic product and having a world class facility like this is a great demonstration of Bahrain›s strength as a manufacturing hub not just for the domestic market but for the entire region.”