Strategy
Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, is the only fully integrated chocolate company with a global presence. Since its foundation in 1996 through the merger of Belgian-based Callebaut and French-based Cacao Barry, Barry Callebaut has evolved from a supplier of industry and specialty chocolate for industrial and artisanal customers into a provider of integrated solutions, from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate product, to the entire food industry. The company is organized by Regions, and it serves two distinct customer segments.
Barry Callebaut – providing integrated solutions from the cocoa bean to the chocolate product
Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry and focuses on two distinct customer segments:
- Industrial food manufacturers
- Artisanal and professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers)
It also provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing.
Barry Callebaut is challenged by following major industry trends:
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Increasing demand from its customers and their consumers for health, (taste) experience or indulgence, and convenience
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Outsourcing: an increasing number of previously fully-integrated food companies are outsourcing their primary chocolate needs to specialists like Barry Callebaut
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Future growth in chocolate consumption to come primarily from emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America
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Mature markets of Western Europe and North America see growth primarily in premium chocolate
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Ongoing challenging cost environment
Barry Callebaut's strategic priorities by customer segment
Barry Callebaut’s acknowledged customer focus is reflected in a differentiated strategy for each customer segment:
In order to optimally cover our own and our customers’ raw materials needs, we will expand our cocoa bean procurement activities in origin countries as well as promote the diversification of cocoa sourcing from different regions. We will leverage the Group’s purchasing power of non-cocoa raw materials.
We are a customer-oriented solutions provider for industrial food manufacturers. In terms of geography, we are determined to retain our market leadership in mature markets, to increase our market share in emerging markets (such as Russia and China) and to grow our market penetration in select mature markets (e.g. in Europe). We are expanding our origin country operations and developing a wider range of cocoa powders to cover a broader customer base. We intend to benefit from the outsourcing trend of large industrial food processors.
In our business serving artisanal and professional customers, our strategic focus is on expanding into new markets and gaining market share with new products. We want to continue covering all market segments and customer needs from the top-quality ingredient to convenient ready-to-use and ready-to-sell products. Differentiation in the market place shall be achieved on the basis of innovation, training courses for professionals offered by our thirteen Chocolate Academies around the world and technical advice.
