Cadbury India, part of Mondelçz International, plans to invest more than Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase of a manufacturing plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh.

The company has signed an agreement with Sri City to take on lease 134 acres of land for the proposed facility.

The first phase is expected to be completed by mid-2015.

The project will be developed in four phases and is scheduled for final completion by 2020.

Largest Asian plant

The multi-category food campus will be the largest chocolate manufacturing plant in India and the largest Mondelçz manufacturing facility in the Asia Pacific.

The facility is expected to create close to 1,600 direct jobs by 2020.

Once completed, this project will set examples in production efficiency, energy saving, emission reduction and community involvement.

Anand Kripalu, President, India and South Asia, Mondelçz International, said India was a priority emerging market for the company.

>purvita@thehindu.co.in