Meiji to increase health-oriented chocolate output

Jan 16 (NHK) - Japanese confectionery maker Meiji will ramp up its production capacity of health-oriented chocolate.

The move is in response to consumers' growing appetite for healthy products.

The company said it will invest about 27 billion yen, or around 240 million dollars, to expand production lines at 2 of its domestic plants.

The size of Japan's chocolate market grew by nearly 20 percent in 5 years, to about 4.8 billion dollars in 2016, amid increased demand for high-cacao and lactic acid bacteria-laced chocolates.

Meiji, the top seller of chocolate products in Japan, says it will increase production of high-cacao chocolate and others to meet the demand.

Its rivals are working to increase output as well. Lotte Holdings is aiming to build a new plant and start operation in the city of Saitama near Tokyo by June of next year.

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