Cargill expands specialty fats capacity in Malaysia and earns global AI award
The company grows its food ingredients portfolio while gaining recognition for its use of artificial intelligence across the food system.
MALAYSIA – Cargill has expanded its edible‑oil plant in Port Klang with the installation of a new specialty fats production line, aiming to strengthen the company’s global specialty fats portfolio and support customers in the chocolate confectionery, bakery and dairy sectors.
The multi-million-dollar investment marks a significant milestone in Cargill’s strategy to broaden its global specialty fats portfolio and enhance its food solutions offerings.
The Port Klang site is the first within Cargill’s global edible oils network to deploy specialty fats processing technology, thereby strengthening its capability to deliver a broader, more diverse product portfolio.
Cargill’s Lipid Research & Development center, also located at the Port Klang plant, enables rapid product and process development with customers, supported by analytical capabilities, performance evaluation, and optimization.
This expansion is designed to enable food manufacturers to develop high-quality chocolate, bakery, and dairy products that meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of consumers across the Asia-Pacific and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) regions.
The upgraded facility utilizes advanced palm oil processing technology to produce a versatile range of high-performance ingredients. Key additions to the portfolio include cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs), low-trans-fat cocoa butter replacers, and specialized fats for frying, baking, and fillings.
Among the featured product lines are Cargill Bakefry™, a high-performance frying fat designed for foodservice and quick-service restaurant operators, delivering excellent frying stability and reduced oil weeping to help fried products such as donuts maintain quality from fryer to consumer; and Cargill Bakefill™, a specialty fat for fillings such as buttercream and bakery cream, helping cakes stay moist by keeping syrup and fat well emulsified and reducing separation for consistent filling quality.
The expansion also introduces Coconera™, a cocoa butter equivalent for premium chocolate applications, and CremoFlex™, a versatile filling fat with less than 1% trans-fat.
These products, with less than 1% trans-fats, deliver superior snap, melt profiles, creaminess, and shelf stability, allowing manufacturers to navigate volatile cocoa prices and formulate healthier indulgences without sensory trade-offs.
This strategic move comes at a time of rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific chocolate market, which is projected to increase its global market share to 22% by 2030.
“The new production line at our Port Klang facility supports customers with reliable access to high-quality, versatile specialty fats. As food producers navigate evolving cocoa and ingredient markets, our expanded specialty fats portfolio provides an alternative solution with greater flexibility to optimize formulations while maintaining consistent taste and texture. This strengthens our ability to work with chocolate, confectionery, bakery and dairy customers as a trusted supplier and innovation partner,” said Kashan Rashid, Vice President and Managing Director, Cargill’s Food Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
This expansion builds on a prior US$20 million investment in 2020 to expand and modernize the same facility, and together, the investments strengthen Cargill’s position as a reliable specialty oil solution provider for key food industry segments including foodservice, confectionery, and bakery.
AI recognition highlights digital push
In a separate development, Cargill received the 2026 AI Excellence Award from the Business Intelligence Group. The award recognizes its use of artificial intelligence across farming, supply chains, and product development.
“At Cargill, we are using AI to help build a more resilient and efficient food system,” said Jennifer Hartsock, Chief Information and Digital Officer.
The company uses AI tools to support farmers with real time data, improve logistics, and speed up product design. These systems help teams make faster decisions and improve output across operations.
“The winners are building systems that act and deliver at scale,” said Russ Fordyce of the Business Intelligence Group.
Cargill said it will continue to expand its AI work across research, operations, and partnerships as it strengthens its role in the global food sector.
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