Archer Daniels Midland Company today celebrated the opening of its cocoa processing plant in Hazleton, Pa., with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The facility is approximately 500,000 square-feet and sits on a 74 acre site. Construction began in September 2006.

“The Hazleton facility is ADM’s newest and most technically advanced cocoa processing plant,” said Mark Bemis, vice president, Cocoa and Milling. “We look forward to meeting our customers’ growing needs for quality chocolate and cocoa products through this facility.”

Products made at the Hazleton plant will include chocolates, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder. ADM Cocoa’s customers include chocolate manufacturers and food processors in the confectionery, bakery, dairy and beverage industries.

ADM is one of the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate manufacturers. The Company grinds about 15 percent of the world’s cocoa crop. ADM has cocoa processing plants in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, and is building a new plant in Kumasi, Ghana.

For more information about ADM and its products, visit http://www.admworld.com.