SINGAPORE -- From its Malaysian factory in the state of Johor, Italian agro-food company Unigra makes ingredients from chocolate chips to cocoa powder used by confectioners for export across Asia to markets such as China, Taiwan and Thailand.
But operations in the past year have "surprised" Denis Cavrini, the manufacturer's International Commercial Director for regions like the Asia-Pacific. The executive told Nikkei Asia that costs of obtaining cocoa raw materials have surged threefold this year.
