Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut is to expand its liquid and chocolate moulding capacity in North America with the purchase of a facility in Ontario.
The confectioner said today (11 June) it has entered into an agreement to purchase the assets of a facility in Chatham in Ontario from Batory Industries Co. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
In addition, the company will invest CHF26.8m (US$27.9m) in the core chocolate moulding capacity at its facility in St Albans in the US state of Vermont. Together with the facility acquisition, Barry Callebaut said the expansion projects will add around 60,000 tonnes to production capacity.
Together with its facility in Illinois, the company will now operate two facilities to service customers in the Midwest of the US, it said.
The move forms part of a CHF95.9m two-year investment in the North American market for Barry Callebaut. In January, Barry Callebaut acquired gourmet products manufacturer Mona Lisa Foods and last year it signed a long-term outsourcing agreement for Mexico with Chocolates Turin, which saw the Swiss firm buy a plant from the firm.
“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 Barry Callebaut CEO Juergen Steinemann. “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.”

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