RO chocolate maker suspends operations as workers test positive for COVID-19

Romanian chocolate and sweets maker Kandia announced that 20 of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

Thus, Kandia temporarily closed its factory, located in Bucharest, Economica.net reported.

"Out of respect for the procedures in place and acting as a precaution to limit any possible spreading of the virus, we have decided to close the factory and test all the company's employees," the company said in a statement.

The company assured all the sanitary precautions were taken.

According to Kandia, all its products are safe, the factory has automatic production lines and is certified annually to the high-level standard by companies authorized in the field of food safety.

Kandia Dulce is one of the largest Romanian producers of sweets, such as chocolate, pastries, biscuits, and sugar products, producing the first milk chocolate in Romania in 1890.

The company owns brands such as Kandia, Primola, Authentic Rom, Magura, Sugus, Laura and Făgăraș and exports the products to 15 European countries, including Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Egypt.

Kandia Dulce is part of KEX Confectionary (owned by Austrian family Meinl), the owner of Heidi Chocolat, and the Austrian meringue brand, Niemetz Schwedenbomben.

(Photo: Chris Hill | Dreamstime.com)