ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — Barry Callebaut AG on June 11 announced two expansion projects that will add about 60,000 tonnes to production capacity and will call for investing 26.8 million Swiss francs ($27.9 million).
For one project, Barry Callebaut will make additional investments in the core chocolate molding capacity in its facility in St. Albans, Vt. For the other project, the company has agreed to purchase the assets of the Chatham, Ont., facility of Batory Industries Co. Barry Callebaut then would have two facilities to service customers in the Midwest since it already has one in Robinson, Ill.
“Through investment in our existing facilities and expansion through acquisition in North America, we have found an ideal solution to address current and future business growth,” said Juergen Steinemann, chief executive officer of Barry Callebaut. “The increase of our production capacities will support the further development of our industrial business in the region while also gaining geographic advantage with our customers by adding a key Midwest facility.”
Based in Zurich, Barry Callebaut has a U.S. office in Chicago. Barry Callebaut in total will have invested 95.9 million Swiss francs ($99.7 million) in North America over two years. In 2011 the company invested in Mexico and Pennsauken, N.J. In January of this year Barry Callebaut acquired Mona Lisa Food Products, Inc., a gourmet product manufacturer based in Hendersonville, N.C.