Barry Callebaut

Barry Callebaut is a chocolate company based in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the world's largest chocolate producer, making one out of four of the chocolates eaten around the world. ^[1] It operates in 23 countries, with more than 30 production facilities and employs some 8,000 people. In 2006/07 it had annual sales of CHF 4.1 billion. In early 2008 they announced the opening of a factory in Suzhou, near Shanghai with a annual capacity of 25'000 metric tons (with ample room for expansion). Barry Callebaut makes couverture for numerous chocolatiers world wide, from small mom and pop shops, to La Maison du Chocolat and Pierre Marcolini. A small amount of their chocolate, under the Callebaut brand, is sold at retail, normally in large chunks.

History

In the year 1996, the chocolate producer Callebaut from Belgium and the French chocolate company Cacao Barry merged, forming a new company they called Barry Callebaut. Since then they have been expanding by buying up various other chocolate companies such as: Carma from Switzerland (1999), Stollwerck from Germany (2002) Graverboom from Holland (2003). In 2003 they also added Brach's Confections to their company. However, Jacobs Holding AG in Switzerland already owned this company for several years. From 2004 Barry Callebaut has opened sales offices and chocolate factories in Japan, Californa, Russia, Mexico, China and India. Barry Callebaut now is the world's biggest producer of cocoa and chocolate products. Based in Zürich as part of the Jacobs Holding AG, which is owned by Klaus Johann Jacobs. Mr Jacobs son, Dr. Andreas Jacobs, is Chairman of the Board of Directors. Patrick de Maeseneire is acting as company CEO.

Chocolate Academies

All over the world, Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academies set up training centers choclate professionals who wisht to improve their working skills in chocolate and learn about new trends, techniques and recipes. Chocolate Academies are located in Wieze (Belgium), St. Hyacinthe (Canada), Meulan (France), Lodz (Poland), Singapore, Zurich (Switzerland), Banbury (United Kingdom) and recently Mumbai (India).

Chairman's Award

The Chairman’s Award was inaugurated in 1995 by Klaus Jacobs, the former Chairman of Jacobs Holding AG and founder of Barry Callebaut. Since then, the Chairman’s Award has been given to select number of employees each year for strong social commitment in their local communities.