ASTANA – Kazakh confectionery producer LOTTE Rakhat plans to enter the markets of South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand, expanding the international reach of one of the country’s established confectionery brands.
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The company operates production facilities in Almaty and Shymkent, with combined annual capacity exceeding 100,000 tons. Its range includes more than 500 products, from chocolate and sweets to biscuits and wafers, reported the Agriculture Ministry on Aug. 18.
Export geography
Exports account for around 22% of LOTTE Rakhat’s sales. Russia remains the main destination, receiving around 65% of export shipments. The company also supplies markets in Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, Germany, Mongolia and the South Caucasus. Deliveries to Latvia began in 2026.
The planned expansion to South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand would further diversify the company’s foreign markets. State financial and insurance instruments for domestic producers are also supporting efforts to enter new markets.
Investment and production
LOTTE Rakhat has invested nearly 19.4 billion tenge (US$42 million) in technological development and capacity expansion in recent years. More than 7.1 billion tenge (US$15.4 million) was directed to the Shymkent facility, including new wafer and corn snack production.
The company produces more than 80 types of chocolate bars and maintains an integrated production chain, including processing cocoa beans and producing cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
Its production system is certified under ISO and HACCP standards and meets Halal requirements. In June, LOTTE Rakhat won the regional Best Product of Kazakhstan 2026 competition in the best food products category.
New capacity in Kostanai
Another major development in the sector is Bayan Sulu’s launch of the Confectionery Capital complex in the Kostanai Region.
The facility will add 16,600 tons of annual capacity, mainly for biscuits and other confectionery products. Investment has reached 14.6 billion tenge (US$31.6 million), with total investment expected to rise to 20 billion tenge (US$43.3 million) after additional production lines are installed.
The project aims to expand domestic processing and increase production of higher-value food products. Bayan Sulu already supplies products to the CIS, European markets and China.
Wider export potential
Together, the developments show the expansion of Kazakhstan’s confectionery manufacturing base and its focus on international markets.
For LOTTE Rakhat, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand are the next potential export destinations. Bayan Sulu expects additional capacity to support production growth and further exports.
LOTTE Rakhat’s history dates to 1942, when confectionery factories from Moscow and Kharkiv were evacuated to Almaty. The Almaty Confectionery Factory became Rakhat JSC in 1992. In 2013, South Korean confectionery company LOTTE Confectionery acquired a controlling stake.
The sector is thus combining expanded production capacity, product development and wider export geography to strengthen Kazakhstan’s position in higher-value food manufacturing.
