Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts, a subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Company, announced that it has acquired an 80 percent ownership stake in a peanut shelling and storage facility in Jan Kempdorp, South Africa. Golden had been operating the facility under lease since May.

“This is yet another exciting expansion for Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts in one of the most important peanut producing and consuming regions in the world,” said Greg Mills, president, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts. “South Africa has the largest consumption of peanut butter outside of the United States, and following on our South African investments in 2013 and 2014, we are now positioned as one of the country’s leading purchasers and processors of peanuts.”

In late 2013, Golden Peanut entered the South African peanut market with the purchase of an 80 percent ownership stake in a bulk warehouse and a shelling plant in Hartswater. In August 2014, the company acquired the majority of an additional processing facility in Hoopstad.

“This purchase continues to strengthen our position to better serve our customers in South Africa and around the world,” said Alex Izmirlian, vice president of international sales for Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts. “Since 1990, worldwide consumption of peanuts has nearly doubled, from 22 million to 40 million metric tons. Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts is expanding to meet customer needs as global demand grows.”

Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts, a subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Company, is a leading handler, processor and exporter of peanuts and tree nuts. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, the company has 10 processing facilities in the U.S. and one in Argentina. In South Africa, Golden Peanut is the majority owner of peanut processing plants in Hartswater, Hoopstad and Jan Kempdorp, and is 51 percent owner of pecan processor and marketer GPC Pecan S.A.