Chocolate factory opens in Chile
Barry Callebaut has opened its first chocolate factory in Chile – the facility is situated in Paine, about 40km from the capital city of Santiago de Chile and has an initial annual production capacity of around 25,000 tonnes of liquid chocolate and compound. The factory will serve as a regional base for Barry Callebaut to tap into the Chilean chocolate market while enabling the firm to make the most of opportunities in the broader Andean region.
“The inauguration of our new factory in Chile further confirms our commitment to serving customers throughout Latin America,” says Juergen Steinemann, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group. “As the global popularity of chocolate continues to grow, our focus remains on expanding into emerging markets to better serve our customer being food manufacturers and confectionery companies. Chile is an attractive market for growth, as do neighboring countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Peru.”
Gerardo Elizondo, the Barry Callebaut Group’s general manager for the Andean Region adds, “There is a significant growth momentum of the Chilean chocolate market compared to other Latin American markets. The growth potential includes a fast-growing demand for high-quality chocolate, technical services and innovations. That’s where we can offer added-value to our customers.”
