Confectionery giant Ferrero has opened a plant in India as part of its plans to grow in the rapidly emerging market.
The 28,000 sq m site in Baramati, 100 kilometres from the city of Pune in the western state of Maharashtra, will produce Kinder Joy eggs and Tic Tac mints using locally-sourced raw materials and packaging. It will employ an estimated 1,300 people, 80% of whom will be women.
Christian Walter, the UK managing director of Ferrero, said the factory is an important step for growth in India, as emerging markets become increasingly vital to the company.
He said: “We’re growing sales by 50% in India. A large part of our sales – about 85% – are in our developed markets, but in the next five years 70% of our growth will come from emerging markets.”