Lindt, the leading Swiss international chocolate brand, launched its packaging and logistics center in the Yangshan Free Trade Zone in the Lin-gang Special Area of East China's Shanghai on July 18.

The opening ceremony takes place for Lindt's new packaging and logistics hub in the Yangshan FTZ. [Photo/WeChat ID: shlgguanweihui]

The new center will serve as Lindt's regional hub for packaging and logistics distribution in the Asia-Pacific region – supplying products to 15 countries and regions, including China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Maintaining a stable supply chain has proved to be something of a challenge for the company due to lengthy sea transport cycles and unstable schedules, worsened by regional navigation blockages and extended shipping routes.

To meet the quality demands of Asia-Pacific consumers, especially for the taste and freshness of the chocolate, the Lin-gang Special Area has innovated food production licensing and regulatory mechanisms in the Yangshan Free Trade Zone.

The initiative is said to address the specific needs of companies like Lindt. With its  new facility, the freshness of Lindt chocolates reaching consumers in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to improve by over four months compared with existing shipping methods.

Leveraging the excellent location, convenient customs clearance environment and efficient logistics network of the Yangshan FTZ, Lindt will move to establish a more flexible and efficient order response system – paving the way for more agile and convenient supply chain management.

A workshop in Lindt's new packaging and logistics hub in the Yangshan FTZ. [Photo/WeChat ID: shlgguanweihui]

Founded in Zurich in 1845, Lindt operates a dozen chocolate factories and 24 subsidiaries across Europe and North America. For the Lin-gang packaging and logistics center, Lindt has opted to lease properties within the zone, with an investment exceeding 10 million Swiss francs ($11.26 million).

The company plans to upgrade its production capacity in two phases, scheduled for September this year and in April next year.