Taiwan Food Processing Giant Opens US$105 Mil Factory in Kunshan

Taiwan-based food manufacturer Uni-President Group opened its latest China production factory in the city of Kunshan, Suzhou on January 30th.

Uni-President invested a total of US$105.6 million in the new base in the rapidly growing industrial centre between Shanghai and Suzhou.The Taiwan company had previously invested in a factory in Kunshan in 1993, producing beverages and instant noodles.

Uni-President stepped up its capacity expansion plans in the Chinese mainland since 2010 in a struggle to keep pace with competitor Master Kong. Chairman Luo Zhixian said in early 2010 that his company planned to invest 1 billion yuan (US$158.4 million) in the following two and a half years to boost capacity, however, analysts have criticised the company for failing to meet these investment targets.

In October 2010, Uni-President invested US$43 million in a beverage production base in Guangdong Province's Suixi county and another US$100 million in a branch in Shandong Province's Jinan city.