Our History
More than 175 years of chocolate heritage
Our History
More than 175 years of chocolate heritage
The Barry Callebaut Group, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, resulted from a merger in 1996 between two iconic chocolate makers, the Belgian Callebaut and the French Cacao Barry. During the past quarter of a century, Barry Callebaut Group became the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, mastering every step in the value chain from the sourcing of raw materials to the production of the finest chocolates. We are the heart and engine of the chocolate industry and our mission is to be number one in all attractive customer segments. We are a business-to-business company, fully vertically integrated with a strong position in cocoa-origin countries and a unique global footprint.
Some important milestones in the Barry Callebaut Group's history
2023
- Barry Callebaut opens a Business Excellence Centre in Malaysia to support growth in the entire region
- Barry Callebaut launches a partnership with Nestlé to support large-scale agroforestry tree planting projects in Ivory Coast
- Barry Callebaut opens its 2nd Chocolate Academy in the US, located in the heart of New York City
- Barry Callebaut and shipping and logistics company Maersk enter into a long-term partnership to build and operate a cocoa bean storage and handling facility in Malaysia
- Peter Feld is appointed new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Barry Callebaut Group
- Barry Callebaut adds new ambitions to its Forever Chocolate initiative for a sustainable cocoa supply chain, extending the original horizon of 2025 with new measurable targets for 2030 and beyond
- Unilever and Barry Callebaut extend a strategic cocoa and chocolate sourcing agreement and agree to deepen their collaboration on innovation and sustainability
- Barry Callebaut announces BC Next Level, a CHF 500 million strategic investment program through 2025 to increase efficiency, digitization and proximity to markets and customers
Peter Feld appointed as CEO at Barry Callebaut
2022
- Barry Callebaut recognized as Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP
- Launch of Callebaut NXT, 100% plant-based chocolate
- Expansion of chocolate factory in Campbellfield, Australia, completed
- Grupo Bimbo and Barry Callebaut extend strategic supply agreement
- Barry Callebaut establishes in Ecuador a state-of-the art cocoa export facility
- Barry Callebaut to set up own distribution network in South Africa
- New CHOCOLATE ACADEMYTM Center in Casablanca, Morocco
- Business Excellence Center in Asia Pacific opened
- Long-term distribution agreement with Levapan to expand in Latin America
- Barry Callebaut to build specialty chocolate factory in Brantford, Canada
- Barry Callebaut relocates office and Chocolate ACADEMYTM Center to the heart of Shanghai, China
- Sustainalytics ranks Barry Callebaut #1 for management of ESG risks
- Barry Callebaut introduces the second generation of chocolate
- Acquisition of a production unit from Attelli, Morocco
- Barry Callebaut introduces second generation chocolate, redesigning cocoa bean farming, fermentation and roasting to meet changing consumer preferences
Groundbreaking ceremony of our new chocolate factory in Ontario/Canada to manufacture sugar free chocolate, high protein, and other specialty products.
2021
- Launch of “#oneBC”, Barry Callebaut’s new Diversity & Inclusion Strategy
- Recognized by CDP as Supplier Engagement Leader, for second consecutive year
- Announcement of strategic partnership with Garudafood to distribute Van Houten professional products in Indonesia
- Announcement of cooperation between Cocoa Horizons and Seekewa
- Official opening of a new chocolate factory in Baramati, India
- Opening of dedicated dairy free factory in Norderstedt, Germany
- Barry Callebaut announces CEO succession, effective Sept 1, 2021: Peter Boone to succeed Antoine de Saint-Affrique
- Cocoa pioneer brand Van Houten launches first ever Ruby chocolate drink powder
- Cacao Barry launches WholeFruit Evocao™, the first signature expression of WholeFruit chocolate
- Cabosse Naturals winner at Sustainable Food Awards 2021
- Acquisition of Europe Chocolate Company (ECC), Belgium
- Significant outsourcing agreement in North America
- Outsourcing agreement with Atlantic Stark in Serbia
- New factory in Kaliningrad, the 3rd in Russia
- Hershey and Barry Callebaut extend strategic supply agreement
- Barry Callebaut inaugurates chocolate factory in Novi Sad, Serbia
- Barry Callebaut unveils the first nutraceutical fruit drink
- Barry Callebaut inaugurates 'The Chocolate Box': world’s largest and most sustainable chocolate warehouse in Lokeren, Belgium
- The global decoration brand Mona Lisa expands to Mexico, its 50th market globally
The Board of Directors has appointed Peter Boone as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Barry Callebaut Group, effective September 1, 2021
2020
- Barry Callebaut inaugurates its revamped CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ Center in Banbury, UK
- Introduction of 100% dairy-free ‘M_lk Chocolate’ as part of our indulgent ‘Plant Craft’ range
- Barry Callebaut, through its global decoration brand Mona Lisa, opens world's first 3D Printing Studio to craft unseen chocolate experiences
- Groundbreaking for Barry Callebaut’s first chocolate factory in Southeastern Europe in Novi Sad, Serbia
- Significant outsourcing agreement in EMEA signed
- 4th production line added to chocolate factory in Senoko, Singapore
- Completion of acquisition of GKC Foods in Australia
- Barry Callebaut successfully placed its second Schuldscheindarlehen
- Forever Chocolate ranked by Sustainalytics as the #2 sustainability strategy
- Barry Callebaut discloses its direct cocoa suppliers in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon
Mona Lisa 3D Studio’s innovative technology empowers chefs to design unseen and bespoke chocolate creations, made from Belgian chocolate
2019
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Transaction with Burton’s Biscuit Company in the UK completed
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Acquisition of Inforum in Russia completed
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Barry Callebaut successfully places its first Schuldscheindarlehen
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Opening of new office and CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ Center in Beijing, China
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Major expansion of cocoa processing capacities in Côte d’Ivoire
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Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Serbia and the City of Novi Sad to construct a first chocolate factory in Southeastern Europe
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Barry Callebaut to build new Global Distribution Center in Lokeren, Belgium
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Groundbreaking of new chocolate factory in Baramati, India
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Start-up of new chocolate factory in Rancaekek, Indonesia
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Opening of the CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ Center in Antwerp, Belgium
- Barry Callebaut unleashes the full power of the cacaofruit
- FDA advances Ruby as the fourth type of chocolate after Dark, Milk and White
Barry Callebaut unleashes the full power of the cacaofruit in next-gen food & drink category
2018
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Barry Callebaut acquires Inforum in Russia
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Barry Callebaut enters into long-term supply agreement with Burton’s Biscuit Company
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Opening of a CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in South Africa
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Barry Callebaut intensifies cooperation on a sustainable cocoa farming model with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana
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Barry Callebaut introduces sensory language and tasting ritual for chocolate
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KitKat is the first brand in the world to launch Ruby chocolate version
Ruby KitKat
KitKat is the first brand in the world to launch Ruby chocolate version
2017
- Barry Callebaut reveals the fourth type in chocolate: Ruby
- Barry Callebaut acquires Ingredients Division of Gertrude Hawk Chocolate
- Barry Callebaut acquires D'Orsogna Dolciaria, a leading specialties and decorations player in Europe
- Driving sustainable cane sugar production: Barry Callebaut joins Bonsucro
- Barry Callebaut couples sustainability with its renewed banking credit facility
- Barry Callebaut opens its 20th CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Milan, Italy and upgrades its centers in Mumbai, Shanghai, and Singapore
- Barry Callebaut Mexico announce the opening of their new offices in Mexico City, and the refurbished in-house CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center
- Mona Lisa announces shift to HORIZONS Program as their only cocoa source for decorative chocolate
- American Almond celebrates move to new facility
- La Morella Nuts is launching a new range of organic Mediterranean nuts
- Barry Callebaut's Belgian Gourmet chocolate brand, Callebaut, launches ChocoGelato in Italy
Launch of the Ruby Chocolate
2016
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Barry Callebaut closed the acquisition of the commercial beverages vending activities of FrieslandCampina Kievit, making it a leading supplier of vending powder mixes
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Strategic partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely to produce chocolate from fully traceable cocoa
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Partnership with the IFC and the IDH to provide credit to farmers and co-operatives successful placement of corporate bond
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Opening of Beverage Academy in Sweden
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Barry Callebaut to extend strategic supply partnership with Mondelēz International in Belgium / Halle factory
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Barry Callebaut joins the 25 most sustainable listed companies in Switzerland in the SXI Switzerland Sustainability 25® index
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Barry Callebaut celebrates grand opening of its first chocolate factory in Gresik/Indonesia
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Barry Callebaut expands chocolate manufacturing facility in Singapore
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Barry Callebaut publishes new sustainability strategy 'Forever Chocolate' to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025
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Barry Callebaut announces further capacity investments at its American Canyon factory in California
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Andreas Jacobs steps down from his post at the Shareholders Meeting. Patrick De Maeseneire elected as new Chairman
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Barry Callebaut completes acquisition of chocolate production facility in Halle, Belgium
Strategic partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely to produce chocolate from fully traceable cocoa
2015
- Barry Callebaut signs a licensing agreement with Naturex to market approved health claim on cocoa extract
- Launch of the HORIZONS sustainable products and the Cocoa Chronicles
- Barry Callebaut acquires Nyonkopa to cover growing customer need for sustainable and traceable cocoa from Ghana
- Barry Callebaut to partner with Mondelez to scale up their Cocoa Life program
- Launch of the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities
- Announcement of a new partnership with the Hershey Company to improve the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in Côte d'Ivoire
- Opening of a new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Japan, the Group’s 19th training center in the world and its fourth in Region Asia Pacific
- GarudaFood and Barry Callebaut enter long-term supply agreement in Indonesia - Barry Callebaut’s first compound chocolate outsourcing agreement in Southeast Asia
- Announcement of Antoine de Saint Affrique to become the new CEO of Barry Callebaut as of October 1, 2015
- Signing of an agreement to acquire the customer portfolio, brands, recipes and manufacturing equipment from nut products manufacturer American Almond Products Co., Inc. (U.S.)
- Launch of new chocolate and compound recipes with a higher thermo-tolerance
- Barry Callebaut opens first Cocoa Application Center in Asia Pacific in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, to drive future growth of its customers
- Barry Callebaut joins leading industry initiatives to develop sustainable supply chains
- European Commission extends Barry Callebaut’s health claim on ACTICOA® products to cocoa extracts
- Establishing a Shared Service Center (SSC) in Lodz, Poland, for bundling transactional activities in Europe
- Inauguration of a new, modernized CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Russia’s capital Moscow
- Barry Callebaut together with IB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and KU Leuven (University of Leuven) optimize the cocoa fermentation process with a newly developed yeast
- The Barry Callebaut Group awarded with a new patent on reduced fat chocolate
- Signing of a long-term outsourcing agreement with World’s Finest® Chocolate based in Chicago, U.S., including acquisition of their manufacturing assets
- Building of a new compound chocolate factory in Pune, India
- Opening of a new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Cologne, Germany
- Opening of the first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in the Middle East in Dubai
2014
- Official inauguration of Barry Callebaut’s first chocolate factory in Chile
- Expansion plans announced for the chocolate factory Lodz, Poland
- Announcement about the expansion of the Brazilian chocolate factory in Extrema
- Organization of 2nd international stakeholder conference Chocovision in Davos
- Opening of new Callebaut® flagship CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Wieze
- EFSA approval to extend existing health claim for cocoa extract products
- Acting as leading force to form the “CocoaAction” strategy of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF)
- Acquisition of the remaining 51% stake of the Biolands Group
- Start of production in new, relocated chocolate factory in Tagasaki (Japan)
