Barry Callebaut grows despite smaller global market

A few days before everyone eats chocolate Easter eggs, the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut announced its positive 6-month financial results.

Nearly 1 billion tons

Despite a shrinking global chocolate market, the Swiss company still managed to sell an additional 1.5 % of chocolate, 946,782 tons to be exact. Turnover grew to 3.54 billion Swiss francs (about 3.3 billion euro) and net profit reached 142.1 million Swiss francs (130 million euro).

Its focus on more profitable contracts and the integration of its recent acquisition, a factory in Halle that manufacturers Côte d’Or chocolate for Mondelez, both contributed positively. The chocolate giant, led by Belgian CEO Patrick De Maeseneire, also has a major factory in Wieze.

Nevertheless, the company formed from a 1996 merger between Belgian Callebaut and French Cacao Barry, will have to speed things up of it wants to reach its 4 to 6 % long-term growth forecast. Antoine de Saint-Affrique is full of belief: “The markets may still be volatile, but we have the utmost faith we have a healthy portfolio and we expect the momentum to be maintained”, he said. He also expects both the United States and Europe to continue their recovery.