Swiss chocolate giant Barry Callebaut to set up production in India

Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, a leader in the production of high-quality chocolates and cocoa products, is planning to set up a manufacturing unit in India, to tap the country's Rs3,000-crore market.

Barry Callebaut currently has commercial operations in the country, having set up an office in Mumbai in 2008, and the current move is part of the company's global expansion plans.

"As part of our expansion plan, we're looking at having a manufacturing plant in India in near future and we are progressing on the plan," Barry Callebaut vice president Gourmet Asia Pacific, Denis Convert, said.

Today, we are the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products.

India is a very important market for Barry Callebaut and it wants to be in this market for the long-term, Convert said.

"In spite of the fact that the consumption of chocolate in the country has trebled to 120 gram per capita per annum at present as against 40 gram nine years ago, India is still one of the lowest chocolate consumption markets. In Germany alone the per capita chocolate consumption currently exists at 10 kilogram per year," Dhruv Bhatia, managing director of Barry Callebaut India, said.

The country is expected to provide an annual increase of 15 per cent in chocolate consumption in future, he added.

Barry Callebaut has a global network employing more than 8,500 people in more than 50 production facilities operating out of more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa, North and South America as well as Asia-Pacific. The company has annual sales of about CHF 4.9 billion (€4.0 billion / $5.2 billion) and has fully integrated operations – from sourcing cocoa beans and processing them to producing chocolates and cocoa products.