Cargill Inc. will close a Pennsylvania chocolate plant and centralize its U.S. chocolate business leadership in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant will shutter one of its two plants in Lititz, Pa., laying off 130 workers. Administrative jobs there, numbering about 30, will be moved to other Cargill chocolate sites. Leadership of Cargill's North American chocolate and cocoa business will no longer be in Lititz, which is east of Harrisburg.

Cargill is one of the world's largest cocoa and chocolate producers. It churns out industrial chocolate, which is sold to companies that turn it into various food products.

Production at the shuttered plant will be moved to a second plant, more efficient plant in Lititz, and to plants in Hazleton, Pa.; Ontario, Canada; and Milwaukee.

Last year, Cargill bolstered its chocolate business when it bought for $440 million six factories, including the plant in Milwaukee, that were operated by rival food processor ADM.

Mike Hughlett • 612-673-7003