Palsgaard’s new CEO welcomes €18 million chocolate production investment
The new chief executive officer of Palsgaard, Helle Müller Petersen, has welcomed a major €18 million expansion of its Netherlands facility for high-grade PGPR emulsifiers, used within chocolate production, reports Neill Barston.
As the Danish headquartered company explained, its latest development comes in response to key growth within the segment, with the market projected to rise by a total of around 10% a year.
Helle Müller Petersen joined the business last month, taking over from former postholder Jakob Thoisen, who is set to move to become a director of the Schou Foundation, which owns Palsgaard.
Notably, PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate) co-emulsifier primarily used in chocolate production to control flow, reduce viscosity and optimise moulding and enrobing. It also reduces fat content in margarine spreads and is a highly effective, plant-based colour-dispersing aid that replaces petrol-based waxes in plastics.
CEO Helle Müller Petersen led the ground-breaking ceremony on 7th February. She said: “Visiting our facilities around the world and meeting Palsgaard employees is a priority for my first 100 days as CEO, so seeing work start on the PGPR factory extension in the Netherlands has been a great opportunity to learn more about Palsgaard’s unique DNA.”
Chief Operations Officer Kim Bøjstrup, who also participated in the ceremony, added: “We are already market leaders in PGPR and the world’s only commercial source of fully sustainable emulsifiers. Our expanded Netherlands plant will continue to manufacture the highest quality, palm-free PGPR products.”
Palsgaard is also investing heavily in its main production site in Denmark and is currently installing a new 30,000 MT spray cooling tower. This facility will be supported by the construction of multiple new reaction, distillation, and esterification plants. The €125 million investment will double its production capacity by 2024.
