Wedel to expand in Poland

23 November 2010 – Japanese-Korean conglomerate Lotte plans to expand its Polish chocolate-maker Wedel, by investing just over €200 million into the company, according to local media reports.

The investment is reportedly for the construction of five new Wedel factories in Poland. In June, Lotte acquired Wedel after Kraft Foods took over its previous owner, the British firm Cadbury. At the time the European Commission demanded Kraft sell Wedel as a condition of the merger because it feared that the US group would dominate both the Polish and Romanian markets.

Lotte has also said that it plans to diversify the company so that it would produce other confectionery items including chewing gum.