Cadbury India will set up its biggest manufacturing facility in the Asia-Pacific region in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri City business hub with an initial investment of over Rs 1,000 crore. The manufacturer of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bournvita and Oreo biscuits plans to add three more phases involving a total investment of at least Rs 2,000 core by 2020. The first phase is expected to start by mid-2015. At present, Cadbury India has its manufacturing facilities in Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

“We are excited over attracting such large investment from Cadbury India at a time when the entire country is suffering from unfavourable economic conditions and Andhra Pradesh is reeling because of a political crisis,” Sri City managing director Ravindra Sannareddy said. Cadbury India said that the multi-category food campus it is setting up at Sri City will have the largest chocolate manufacturing plant in the country. The facility is expected to create close to 1,600 direct jobs in total.

“This investment will build on our success in India till date and ensure long-term business sustainability,” Mondelez’s president for India and South Asia, Anand Kripalu, was quoted.