PETALING JAYA: The government hopes Malaysia can become one of Asia’s chocolate hubs with its rapidly growing downstream cocoa industry and chocolate industries.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim said she was optimistic on the local cocoa and chocolate industries, and the government is keen to develop more entrepreneurs and companies that can reach international level.
“We can see the downstream cocoa industry growing rapidly and this is a good phenomenon.
“Although there are not many cocoa growers, only 17,000 hectares are planted in Malaysia, there’s potential to develop the cocoa and chocolate industry at the downstream level,” she said following her visit to the Chocolate Museum in Kota Damansara near here today.
The minister was also present at the official launch of DR Group Holdings Sdn Bhd’s Danson Durianmisu, a unique combination of chocolate and musang king durian powder.
Its managing director Datuk Dahlan Mohd Rashid said the Danson Durianmisu chocolate is proving to be popular in China as the Chinese love durians.
“China is a big market and we have started distributing to China via Hong Kong through two distributors,” he said.
DR Group is a distributor of a variety of imported chocolate brands, including Lindt, Hershey, Nestle, M&M’s and Loacker.
Its subsidiary companies, Quantum Supplies (M) Sdn Bhd and Fidani Chocolatier Sdn Bhd, manufacture their own chocolate products under the Danson, Farell, and Millton brands for the domestic and international market.
The companies are also co-packers and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of reputable brands such as Nestle, Morinaga, Van Houten and Starbucks. – Bernama
