Frozen food maker to open new plant at eco business park
14 Oct 2022
FROZEN food manufacturer and distributor EB Group held a ground-breaking ceremony at Eco Business Park V (EBP V) for its first plant in Selangor.
The group, which is known for a wide range of frozen food products, acquired 8.1ha of land at EBP V in Bandar Puncak Alam, Kuala Selangor, in April as part of its expansion plans in the state.
Guest-of-honour Kuala Selangor Municipal Council president Rahilah Rahmat officiated at the event.
Also present were Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) food technology and resource-based industries division director Manjit Kaur Balkar Singh and World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur group managing director Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim.
Eco World Group, which developed the business park, was represented by divisional general manager Ho Kwee Hong.
With a substantial investment of RM350mil, EB Group’s EBP V plant will include food production, warehouses, an R&D innovation centre, a four-storey office, a five-storey carpark and several multistorey hostels.
In her speech, Rahilah thanked EB Group for its substantial contribution to the state as the new facility would provide approximately 2,000 job opportunities to the people of Kuala Selangor.
“The Puncak Alam township is approximately 4,645ha with a population of about 136,000 people,“ she said.
“It is the fastest growing area in Kuala Selangor, with about 27,000 residential units, 1,600 commercial units and an industrial area of 809ha.”
EB Group chairman and founder Ang Chin Hooi said: “With our new plant in Selangor, we expect to increase the production capacity by 120,000 tonnes per year.
“We believe consumers will have confidence in our brands and propel us to excel in the industry.”
He added that the group chose EBP V as the location of its new plant due to its strategic accessibility.
“It is between ports, city centres and markets from northern, central and southern Malaysia, which is also a cost-competitive advantage,“ said Ang.
“Furthermore, it is very well-planned and beautifully designed. We look forward to great potential growth with Eco World.”
He said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the group noticed an increase in demand for frozen food.
The current shortages in manpower and global raw materials have also encouraged food chains to rely on semi-cooked products.
Ho said: “We look forward to welcoming EB Group to our growing business community here in EBP V. We are confident the new plant will enable EB to scale its business further and cement its status as a household brand locally and internationally.”
As one of the largest industrial parks in the Klang Valley and strategically located in the growth corridor of Ijok, EBP V has thrived since its launch in 2017.
To date, two phases have been completed, with occupancy of over 85% for the East and West Gates.
Ho noted that with the job opportunities available when the plant is completed in 2024, EB Group would certainly contribute to Eco World’s efforts in making EBP V one of the best business park in Malaysia and a key job centre offering reputable employment opportunities for Selangor folk.
Founded in 1995, EB Group was established in Butterworth, Penang, and has three subsidiaries – EB Frozen Food Sdn Bhd, Everbest Soya Bean Products Sdn Bhd and Hoshay Food Sdn Bhd.
EB Frozen Food produces surimi (paste made from fish or meat), chicken and prawn products. Its latest addition is the Alaska Pollock series.
Everbest Soya Bean Products focuses on soy-based and vegetarian products while Hoshay Food Sdn Bhd produces plant-based foods.
The group has four manufacturing plants in the northern region, managing a total factory size of 16ha.
With its global connection in the food industry, EB has exported to 32 countries worldwide.
Following the surging demand of consumers, it is capable of producing 210,000 tonnes yearly with a RM3.5bil production value to support the demands internationally.
Throughout the years it has garnered several awards, from The Star Outstanding Business Awards, to Superbrands and Asia-Pacific Enterprise Awards.
Source; The Star
