Havanna, the traditional alfajores and chocolates company based in Mar del Plata, announced an investment of more than $1,000 million to launch a project with which it will double its production capacity.
The firm, owned by the Inverlat fund since 2003, will build a freezing chamber that will allow it to integrate its production process and have permanent stock for export throughout the year, as reported.
Havanna has 250 stores in Argentina and 235 abroad, and its main export destinations are Brazil, the United States, Spain, Paraguay and Chile.
With this investment – which will be carried out with financing from the Argentine Development Bank BICE and the Argentine Credit program (CreAr) of the Ministry of Economy – it plans to increase local turnover by 30% and exports of its Green Sector products (without TACC/Vegan). 150%.
Currently, the firm produces and sells 5,000 tons of alfajores and other products in its portfolio, and employs 1,200 people directly, with more than 3,000 to be added through its franchises.
The implementation of the project will allow them to dispense with the outsourcing of the refrigeration service, a key instance, more specifically in the export process.
Thus, the objective of this investment is to achieve constant production throughout the year that allows it to supply and increase the marketing of its products internationally, to reach new markets such as Asia, the Middle East and different countries in Europe.
As a result of the increase in international demand, exports have been growing steadily since they began their operations abroad: in 2020 they reached US$3 million and by 2024 they plan to exceed US$7 million.
The company has been listed on the Stock Exchange since 2016. The opening of its capital then allowed it to build its new factory in the Batán Industrial Park.
“The Mar del Plata Industrial Park is a concrete example of investment and growth. Havanna represents a strong impact for the local productive matrix due to its volume of production, exports and generation of jobs, which are central objectives of the management promoted by Minister Sergio Massa,” said the Secretary of Industry and Productive Development, José Ignacio. from Mendiguren.
The president of BICE, Mariano de Miguel, assured: “Havanna is an Argentine company that represents us internationally because its products are present in the most important cities in the world.”
And he added: “Just as we accompany the CreAr program launched by Minister Sergio Massa to many SMEs throughout the country, we also support cases of large companies like Havanna that add value, generate foreign currency and add jobs. ”.
Source: Ambito
