Lotte Wellfood, the confectionary division of South Korea’s Lotte Group, has launched construction of a new ice cream production plant in Pune, India, marking a significant step in its expansion into one of the world’s largest consumer markets. The plant is a key part of Lotte’s strategy to strengthen its position in India, a country with a population of 1.4 billion.
Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin attended the inauguration ceremony of the Havmor Ice Cream plant on Thursday, where he expressed optimism that the new facility would serve as a milestone in the company’s global food business. “Since acquiring the historic Havmor company and entering the Indian ice cream market, Lotte has witnessed significant growth alongside India’s booming economy,” Shin said in his speech. “With this new facility, we aim to provide top-quality products and establish Havmor as India’s most cherished ice cream brand.”
The event was attended by several prominent figures, including Lee Young-goo, head of Lotte’s Food Division; Lee Chang-yeop, CEO of Lotte Wellfood; Shin Yoo-yeol, head of Lotte Group’s Future Strategy Office; Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra; and Lee Seong-ho, South Korean Ambassador to India.
Lotte entered the Indian market in 2004 through Lotte Wellfood and currently operates two subsidiaries: Lotte India, which specializes in confectionery, and Havmor, a local ice cream brand. As of 2023, Lotte Wellfood’s revenue in India has reached approximately 270 billion won (about $200 million).
The Pune facility represents Lotte Wellfood’s first expansion since acquiring Havmor in 2017. Covering 60,000 square meters—roughly the size of eight soccer fields—the plant is six times larger than the existing Gujarat facility. The Pune plant will initially operate nine production lines, with plans to expand to 16 lines by 2028.
Equipped with advanced automated manufacturing systems, the plant is expected to boost ice cream sales by more than 15% annually. By leveraging the increased production capacity, Havmor plans to strengthen its market share in western India and use the facility as a springboard for expansion into the southern region. The plant’s location near key suppliers of raw materials will enhance operational efficiency, while the Gujarat plant will continue to serve markets in northwestern India.
The new facility will also increase production of Lotte-branded ice cream products, such as Crispy Crunch Ice Bar, Jaws Bar, and Watermelon Bar, which will be phased into production within the year. The existing Gujarat plant currently produces the World Cone.
In the first half of this year, Lotte India and Havmor will merge to create a unified entity, which is expected to streamline operations and expand the product portfolio. Additionally, Lotte will establish its Haryana plant as the first overseas production base for the Pepero brand, with manufacturing slated to begin later in 2025.
During his visit to India, Chairman Shin met with leading executives from major corporations, including Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Group, Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, and Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, to explore potential business strategies and collaborations.
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