Melbourne's High-Tech Chocolate Hub Opens
Australia's largest chocolate manufacturing facility has officially commenced operations in Melbourne's west, featuring an unprecedented level of automation that's revolutionizing sweet treat production. The $130 million Truganina national distribution centre, which launched in July 2025, spans an area twice the size of the MCG and processes a staggering four million blocks of Cadbury chocolate every single week.
Inside the Automated Wonder
The facility represents the pinnacle of modern manufacturing with its 17 levels of automated storage and retrieval systems. This technological marvel operates using 11 robotic cranes and an extensive 500 metres of conveyor systems that seamlessly transport pallets throughout the massive complex.
Anna Reid, Cadbury director of supply chain and logistics, described the operation as "quite a large, automated site" featuring a 56,100-pallet automated storage and retrieval system. "The best way to think about that is an automated structure that has these cranes going in and out, taking pallets in and out of the warehousing system automatically, and then feeding it on to conveyors, going out to trucks," Reid explained.
Sustainability at Scale
The factory's environmental credentials are as impressive as its production capabilities. The facility operates entirely on renewable energy through a combination of solar panels, rainwater harvesting and modern recycling systems. The site generates one megawatt of solar power, covering approximately 30 percent of the factory's energy requirements.
By consolidating five previous sites into the single Truganina facility, the operation has achieved significant logistical efficiencies, effectively removing 2700 trucks from Australian roads annually.
The factory's production schedule aligns with seasonal demand, with workers having spent the past five months preparing Christmas stockings. During Easter periods, the facility will process 14 million Easter bunnies and 430 million Easter eggs annually.
Beyond chocolate, the centre also handles lollies for Cadbury's parent company Mondelēz International, including brands like Pascals and the Natural Confectionery Company.
The 200-strong workforce primarily hails from Melbourne's western suburbs, with the company establishing particular partnerships with diverse communities. "We've hired team members from the Chin community, originally from Myanmar," Reid noted, highlighting their collaboration with the Chin-Myanmar Community Care Centre to recruit from varied backgrounds.
