Fuji Oil to Buy Largest Ingredient Chocolate Firm in U.S.

Osaka, Japan-based plant-based foods manufacturer Fuji Oil Holdings Inc. is moving to acquire America’s largest producer of ingredient chocolate, The Blommer Chocolate Company. A joint press release announced Monday that the Japanese company entered into an agreement to acquire Blommer. 

“Fuji Oil is a global supplier of food ingredients, with oil and fat, chocolate, emulsified and fermented food and soy protein businesses as pillars,” the Japanese firm’s president and chief executive officer, Hiroshi Shimizu, said in a statement. “In our industrial chocolate business, we are a leader in Asia and have expanded our presence in Europe and South America. By partnering with Blommer, we are convinced that the combination of our knowhow and operations in our respective regions will provide significant opportunities and choices for our customers.”

The deal includes four Blommer production facilities in North America and a site in Shanghai. Headquartered in East Greenfield, PA, the American firm processes cocoa beans, produces chocolate, and conducts product and process research and development. 

“Our companies share common values and a deep commitment to product quality, innovation, and customer services. With our combined expertise in chocolate and fats and oils, both rooted in product and process innovation, we have the opportunity to create a broad global footprint from which to serve our customers and drive growth,” Peter Blommer, chief executive officer of the chocolate manufacturer, said in a statement. 

Blommer’s CEO will continue to head the firm’s operations, along with other existing senior management staff, following the sale’s close. The companies said they expect the deal to close within 30 to 60 days. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. 

Earlier this month, Powder & Bulk Solids reported that Fuji Oil Holdings-owned Fuji Vegetable Oil Inc.broke ground on a new, $70 million food processing, storage, and distribution complex in Jefferson Parish, LA. The site will produce palm oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil for use in food products, personal care products, and for industrial uses.

For more news headlines, articles, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones