The Touton Group, one of the world's largest cocoa processing companies, has inaugurated a 25,000 metric tonnes capacity cocoa processing factory in the Tema Free zone enclave.

The company which has about $ 80 million US working capital, took over 100 per cent assets of Niche Cocoa Industry Limited, to start operation of the Cocoa Touton Processing Company (CTPC) in Ghana.

Mr Patrick De Boussac, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Touton Group, at a news conference preceding the inauguration, said the factory would engage in the production of natural cocoa liquor for export mainly to the US, EU, Asia and the Middle East.

Mr Boussac said the factory would be one of the few companies in Ghana, producing cocoa liquor.

He indicated that that the French Company would expand the factory from its current 25,000 metric tonnes per annum capacity to about 37,000 metric tonnes in the next five years.

He gave the assurance that the about 150 workers of Niche would be maintained as workers as Touton has no intention to lay them off.

According to him more job opportunities would be created for both farmers and factory workers with the future expansion of the factory.

Mr Boussac stated that his company for a long while has been buying cocoa from Ghana and therefore decided to establish the factory in the country to add value to the cocoa beans they buy.

He said Ghana’s cocoa beans is one of the best and has the right size, flavour, and yield.

The Touton CEO added that it is the aim, of the company to contribute to maintain Ghana's status as a strong and reliable global supplier of cocoa and cocoa products.