Premier Jacinta Allan has declared the arrival of Cadbury’s new distribution centre in Truganina as a “win for sweet tooths” and a major boost for Victoria’s economy, with hundreds of jobs created in Melbourne’s west.
“Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez has a sweet new facility and they’ve set up shop right here in Truganina,” the Premier said. “The huge warehouse, their biggest in the world, is the size of two MCGs and will handle four million Cadbury chocolate blocks weekly.”
The $130 million facility officially opened in July and is now Mondelez’s largest distribution site globally. Located on Palmers Road in Truganina, the 47,000 square metre warehouse handles more than 450 million products annually. This includes Cadbury Dairy Milk, Pascall, and The Natural Confectionery Company items, making it a central hub for the company’s operations in Australia.
The site features an advanced automated system designed by Swisslog, with robotic cranes and over 500 metres of conveyor belts. It operates on 100 per cent renewable electricity and includes a 1 megawatt solar array and a 50,000 litre rainwater reuse system, as part of Mondelez’s push for cleaner logistics.
Victoria plays a dominant role in the Australian chocolate industry, with four of Mondelez’s eight domestic facilities based in the state. Alongside the new Truganina centre are long-standing manufacturing hubs in Ringwood, Croydon and Scoresby. The Ringwood site alone produces 450 million Easter eggs and 15 million chocolate bunnies each year for both Australian and New Zealand markets.
Australians consume about 4.5 kilograms of chocolate per person annually, according to IBISWorld data, and Cadbury remains the leading brand. In Victoria, the urban population and seasonal events like Easter and Christmas help drive demand. While most of the output from Truganina serves domestic shelves, the facility’s location near the Port of Melbourne positions it for future export growth into Asia-Pacific markets.
More than 200 jobs have been created at the site in roles such as warehousing, co-packing and manufacturing, with Mondelez reporting that 90 per cent of those positions have been filled by locals from Melbourne’s west. The company currently employs 2,050 people directly across Australia and supports more than 4,000 others through its supply chain.
Mondelez sources its ingredients locally, purchasing 110 million litres of milk from Tasmanian farms and sugar from Far North Queensland. In 2022, it spent $970 million with over 700 Australian suppliers. The Truganina investment follows earlier upgrades, including $75 million at the Claremont factory in Tasmania and $20 million in machinery at other sites.
The opening comes at a time when the industry faces rising global cocoa prices. Mondelez has responded by introducing smaller 100 gram blocks to help manage costs. Consumer habits have also shifted amid broader economic uncertainty, with shoppers leaning towards budget-friendly options. The company has attempted to counter this by strengthening brand appeal, including partnerships with global celebrities.
Despite automation helping drive efficiency, there is some concern over long-term job impacts. Mondelez’s Claremont factory saw its workforce fall from over 1,000 in the 1960s to fewer than 450 in recent years. The 200-plus jobs at Truganina mark a positive shift, but questions remain over job security and the balance between technology and employment.
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
Why support the Indian Sun, they already own 40% of Victoria retail stores, Jacinta Allan with Victorians taxpayers money invested millions of dollars in the Cadbury new warehouse, what do the Victorians taxpayers get out of it. Reasonably doubt to believe, 40% are visa holders,30% are new migrants, 30% are Australian citizens, that’s why Jacinta Allan is smiling, it’s not her money invested in this taxpayer’s shamble. My neighbor 35yrs old didn’t qualify, the cue was 600 people long, the majority waiting in that cue were Indian Pakistani, Chinese, and pushing friend forward, to a point of tripping over someone’s shopping bag. They work as one, not one person was speaking English, deliberately or not
They separated the lines into nationalities, that’s not how we interview, she has since moved to Queensland with children, job within 2 days. This has got to stop, what the hell is going on in Victoria. We no longer feel safe, jobs going to visa holders, migrants, no longer the a safe state or australian.