Barry Callebaut Opens New North American Head Office in Chicago

CHICAGOBarry Callebaut, the worlds leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa, industrial chocolate and confectionery products, has announced the opening of its new North American head office in Chicago, further strengthening its commitment to the North American market.

Barry Callebaut is committed to becoming the No. 1 industrial chocolate manufacturer in the United States, said Massimo Garavaglia, president of Food Manufacturers and Gourmet & Specialties North America for Barry Callebaut. As part of that commitment, were excited to be putting down roots in Chicago, which is centrally located and will give us even greater access to our customers throughout the country.

According to Garavaglia, the company continually looks for ways to drive long-term growth and is focused on growing twice as fast as the global chocolate market. As part of this goal, the company recently announced a strategic supply and innovation partnership with The Hershey Company, North Americas leading manufacturer of quality consumer chocolate and confectionery products. The agreement with Hershey will transform Barry Callebauts business in North America by significantly strengthening its factory network and doubling its production capacity in the Americas region.

In addition, Barry Callebauts wealth of experience in the art of chocolate productionfrom the sourcing of cocoa beans to the creation of fine cocoa and chocolate productswill play a key role in growing its presence in North America. Specifically, the company is focused on research and development activities that will provide new, innovative chocolate taste experiences for its industrial and gourmet customers in North America. For example, Barry Callebaut recently introduced several new single-origin chocolates under its Callebaut and Cacao Barry brands, which have distinct, signature flavor profiles and are grown in unique locations all over the world.

In conjunction with the opening of the new office in Chicago, Barry Callebaut announced the following senior management team for the region:

Massimo Garavaglia, President, Food Manufacturers and Gourmet & Specialties North America, who is responsible for overseeing Barry Callebauts operations, sales and marketing in North America. Garavaglia joined the company in 1992.
James G. (Jerry) Hagedorn, Chief Financial Officer North America, who is responsible for the companys financial operations in the region. Hagedorn joined Barry Callebaut in 2003.
Johannes C. E. Thys, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain North America, who is responsible for overseeing operations and production in North America. Thys joined Barry Callebaut in 1997.
Eric Martinet, Vice President of Gourmet & Specialties North America, who is responsible for the sales and marketing of Barry Callebauts gourmet brands, including Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma. Martinet joined Barry Callebaut in 2004.

About Barry Callebaut
With annual sales of CHF 4.3 billion (approximately USD 3.4 billion) for fiscal year 2005/2006, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the worlds leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa, chocolate and confectionery productsfrom the cocoa bean to the finished product on the store shelf. Barry Callebaut is present in 24 countries, operates more than 30 production facilities and employs more than 7,500 people. The company serves the entire food industry, from food manufacturers to professional users of chocolate to global retailers. The companys Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma products are specifically designed to meet the special needs of artisan customers, including bakers, pastry chefs, hotels, restaurants and caterers. Barry Callebaut also provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing.