Swiss chocolate giant Barry Callebaut said it acquisition of Eurogran is in line with its strategy to focus on its core business.
The company today (4 June) announced that it had signed an agreement with MISP Holding to acquire its subsidiary Eurogran.
The acquisition is a signal of Barry Callebaut’s plans to strengthen its position in the European chocolate vending mix business.
A spokesperson for the company told just-food that Eurogran is to be “the preferred outsourcing partner for industrial and artisanal customers” and that it will allow the company to “strengthen” its position in the European vending mix market.
“Eurogran and our vending mix and beverages business are highly complementary,” the spokesperson said.
Danish company Eurogran, which has annual sales of around DKK208m (US$39.6m), is an instant powder manufacturer of ingredients for the vending industry in Europe.
The company produces a range of instant products including hot chocolate, coffee and granulated milk under its own brand Le Royal. It also makes private-label products for the same categories.
The company’s products are supplied to vending machine operators, to the horeca (hotels, restaurants, caterers) channel and to retail channels, predominantly in Europe.
It is the intention that Eurogran with be integrated into Barry Callebaut Sweden.
In March, Callebaut signalled its desire to focus on business-to-business chocolate by offloading its consumer chocolate division Stollwerck to Natra. Callebaut plans to take a minority stake in Natra.
