Cargill Invests €56M to Expand Belgian Food Innovation and Manufacturing Hubs
June 3, 2026
Cargill has announced a €56 million total investment to expand its edible oils, gourmet chocolate, and R&D operations across three facilities in Belgium.
MECHELEN, Belgium — June 3, 2026 — Cargill has announced a total investment of approximately €56 million to expand its edible oils bottling, gourmet chocolate production, and research & innovation (R&I) capabilities across Belgium.
The capital injection is divided across three key Belgian facilities:
- Izegem Edible Oils (€21 million): Focuses on doubling the facility's bottling capacity, implementing advanced automation, and adding two dedicated foodservice production lines.
- Mouscron Chocolate Facility (€30 million): Adds 10,500 square meters of new manufacturing space, doubling gourmet chocolate production capacity to support its Veliche premium couverture range.
- Vilvoorde Innovation Center (€5.4 million): Establishes a new extrusion pilot plant for rapid prototyping and ingredient functionality testing in food, animal feed, and pet food applications.
"Belgium is a key strategic hub for Cargill in Europe, thanks to its robust food industry, proximity to customers, and advanced logistics infrastructure," said Geert Maesmans, Vice President of R&D for Cargill’s Food business in EMEA. "These investments strengthen our local capabilities and allow us to grow alongside our customers, supplying diverse and innovative solutions across the EMEA region."
Cargill has operated in Belgium since 1953, currently employing more than 1,500 people across nine production, R&D, and administrative locations.
Source: Cargill Official Press Release
