[Updated on 18 June] Mondelez International has marked the 50th anniversary of its Scoresby confectionery factory with an $8 million investment in new packaging technology designed to support future growth and manufacturing capability in Australia.
The Melbourne facility, which produces brands including The Natural Confectionery Company, Pascall and Sour Patch Kids, has commissioned a fully automated bagging line capable of running 24 retail SKUs ranging from 20g to 300g packs at speeds of up to 220 bags per minute. The system incorporates automated product feeding, weighing, bagging, inspection and robotic case packing.
The new equipment includes a high-speed twin bagging line to produce multipack and small bag formats for 20g - 80g sizes.
According to the company, the investment forms part of a broader $30 million commitment to the Scoresby site since 2022, aimed at strengthening its position as a key confectionery manufacturing hub for Australia and New Zealand.
Mondelēz International Australia, New Zealand and Japan president Toby Smith said the latest investment demonstrates the company's ongoing confidence in local manufacturing.
“We are incredibly proud of our 50-year manufacturing legacy at Scoresby and the jobs we have created for hundreds of Victorians in Melbourne’s east over the decades,” Smith said.
“The $8 million new packaging capability is just one part of the $30 million we have invested in Scoresby over the past five years to ensure the facility has a strong future producing iconic treats locally.
“Our continued investment in the Scoresby factory and our team demonstrates our confidence in Australia’s ongoing capacity to manufacture the lollies we know and love right here.”
The company said the new technology will provide greater flexibility to respond to changing consumer preferences and accelerate innovation across flavours, product ranges and packaging formats.
The packaging line combines technology supplied by several specialist partners, including Heat and Control in Melbourne, which supplied Ishida weighing, bagging and inspection equipment from Japan; BluePrint Automation in the Netherlands, which supplied robotic case-packing and case-erecting systems; and Industrial Conveying (Aust) Pty Ltd, which supplied bag-conditioning conveyors.
According to the company, the investment was designed to improve both manufacturing efficiency and packaging performance. Precision weighing, sugar dust extraction, vision-guided packing systems and tighter film control help reduce waste, while variable speed drives and intelligent standby modes lower energy consumption.
Mondelez says the new robotic case packer can operate at twice the speed of the previous system while using the same amount of power, while a fully electric case erector improves case handling efficiency.
All packaging materials used on the line are mono-material BOPP films that are recyclable through existing soft plastics recycling pathways where collection systems are available. The equipment is also IoT and SCADA-ready, enabling production data to be captured and analysed as part of ongoing continuous improvement programs.
Mondelez noted that demand trends are increasingly influenced by social media and shorter product development cycles, placing greater emphasis on manufacturing agility.
The Scoresby site has been producing confectionery for Australian and New Zealand consumers since 1976 and today forms part of a broader Mondelez manufacturing network employing more than 1200 people across Victoria.
The company expects the investment to increase production capacity by a further 549 tonnes annually from 2027, supporting growth in what it describes as the fastest-growing confectionery segments, including multipacks and smaller pack formats.
Mondelez says the new line will provide the capability required to meet retail candy demand across its Natural Confectionery Company, Pascall and Sour Patch Kids ranges from 2027 and beyond, while reinforcing Scoresby's position as the company's primary candy manufacturing site for Australia and New Zealand.
