March 14 2003, 12:43 Interfax-Ukraine

Mariupol confectionery plant installing new cookie line

CJSC Mariupol Confectionery Plant, which is a part of confectionery corporation Roshen, has started installing new cookie-producing line of Austrian manufacture with 500 tonnes of monthly production capacity. According to Director General of the company Olexandr Shirokov, commissioning of the line is scheduled for June. He did not disclose what kind of cookies was going to be produced. He said that the expansion of the product range would help the company increase its competitiveness.

At the moment Maruiupol plant does not produce cookies. It specialises in chocolate-glazed waffles and caramel. In 2002 it produced 30,535 tonnes of the product, which is 5 percent more than the year before.

Corporation Roshen includes also Kiev Karl Marx Confectionery Plant, Kremenchug and Vinnitsa Confectionery Plants. The corporation is a leader of Ukrainian confectionery goods market. In 2001 its share in this market was 27 percent.

Specialists assess Ukrainian market of confectionery goods in 1 million tonnes per year.