Cargill Expands Belgium’s Role in Food Innovation

Cargill has reinforced its commitment to the Belgian market through a series of strategic investments, including expansions at its edible oils bottling facility in Izegem and gourmet chocolate plant in Mouscron, as well as the launch of a new extrusion pilot plant at its Innovation Center in Vilvoorde. Together, the projects represent an investment of approximately €56 million aimed at strengthening the company’s manufacturing, research, and innovation capabilities.

The investments are expected to enhance Cargill’s ability to meet rising demand for edible oils, premium chocolate products, and customer-driven innovation across Europe.

Over the past year, Cargill has also significantly upgraded its Izegem facility, the company’s largest edible oils bottling site in Europe. Backed by a €21 million investment, nearly 60% of the site has been modernized, with a focus on almost doubling production capacity while introducing advanced automation and innovation technologies to improve efficiency and support long-term supply reliability.

The expansion further includes two dedicated foodservice production lines, providing greater manufacturing flexibility and strengthening the facility’s ability to serve foodservice customers across the region.

At its Mouscron facility, Cargill has nearly doubled its gourmet chocolate production capacity through a €30 million investment that added 10,500 square meters of new production space. The expansion is designed to help customers better meet seasonal demand, accelerate product customization, and reduce lead times. The site will manufacture the company’s premium Veliche couverture chocolate range while supporting artisanal foodservice operators, restaurants, and food manufacturers.

Cargill has also enhanced its European research and development capabilities with a €5.4 million investment in a new extrusion pilot plant at its Innovation Center in Vilvoorde. The facility enables rapid prototyping, ingredient functionality testing, and closer collaboration with customers across the food, feed, and pet food sectors. The investment builds on the previously announced €45 million commitment to the Vilvoorde food innovation center, further strengthening Cargill’s European R&D network and innovation capabilities.

Geert Maesmans, Vice President of R&D for Cargill’s Food business in EMEA and Cargill’s Belgium country lead, said "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, 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".

Source: Cargill