Cadbury maker Mondelez International, Inc. is planning a sweet entrance to China's chocolate $2.8 billion market, with the launch of its Milka brand this September.

China "will continue to be an important part of our growth story," Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and CEO of Mondelez, said during an earnings call with financial analysts last Wednesday. "Be leveraging a formidable powder brand like Milka in a sizable category white space, we see significant potential for chocolate in a market where per capita consumption is quite low, even by emerging market standards."

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Rosenfeld is positive that Mondelez's plan for expansion will succeed despite the fact that China's chocolate industry is facing some hurdles. Most Chinese netizens are not so fond of eating chocolates compared with other emerging markets.

Mondelez has already set up a factory in China to make its Milka line, which is expected to hit stores this fall. It has established a strong e-commerce base, thanks to its partnership with Alibaba, which will allow the sale of large volume from the start.

The Deerfield-based Mondelez is already offering select food items in China including its biscuits and gum categories. Brands under that umbrella are Oreo, Ritz, and Trident, to name a few, Chicago Tribune reported.

While China's chocolate market is valued at about $2.8 billion, the United States chocolate industry is way behind and is expected to grow to $30 billion over the next five years, according to Research and Markets.

Meanwhile, according to Food Business News, Rosenfeld confirmed the company's offer to acquire another chocolate maker Hershey Co., which was rejected late last month. She, however, refused to divulge further information about the matter.

TagsCadbury, Mondelez, chocolate industry