Barry Callebaut expands production at its Singapore chocolate facilities
Barry Callebaut has strengthened its confectionery operations in Southeast Asia with expanding the largest industrial chocolate factory in Singapore, with the addition of a fourth production line to its site within the city state.
The Swiss-headquartered chocolate and cocoa processing business said the new extension at its Senoko facility is set to make a significant difference to the location’s total volume output, which has operated for over two decades as a key global territory for the company.
According to the company, it has been equipped with advanced processing equipment that has the ability to produce chocolate blocks of different volumes, all at a high-efficiency rate. Adding to its high performance, the fourth line has also been designed with enhanced quality and safety standards, both of which are crucial aspects of food production.
In addition to the first three chocolate lines in Singapore, the fourth production line helps Barry Callebaut meet increased demand from Southeast Asian countries, South Korea and beyond. Barry Callebaut is proud to produce high-quality chocolate products that customers in the Region have come to trust, ranging from gourmet, artisanal, products to food manufacturers’ treats.Together, these developments allow the factory to meet the growing demands of customers, new and old.
“The continued expansion of this factory reaffirms Barry Callebaut’s commitment in Singapore for the long-term. We look forward to continuing working with the government, local institutions, and our customers and partners to realise our role as the leading chocolate manufacturer in this country.
“We are very encouraged by the steady growth of Singapore’s food industry which would not have been possible without the country’s strong reputation in food safety and quality. For us, this expansion in Singapore is also about paving the way for our business to be more efficient overall and bringing more innovations to the markets,” said Ben De Schryver, President of Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific.
Since this factory was built 23 years ago in Senoko, located in the northern part of Singapore, it has been instrumental in growing the presence of Barry Callebaut in the region. Not only is this plant the largest industrial chocolate factory in Singapore with the highest volume, it is also the biggest chocolate factory in Asia Pacific for Barry Callebaut.
After its opening in 1997, the Barry Callebaut Group has made multiple significant investments in the region. This includes the acquisition of Singapore-listed Delfi Cocoa in 2013, and making major investments in another new line and a warehouse in Fiscal Year 2015/16. The regional headquarters of Barry Callebaut and a chocolate academy centre are also located in Singapore.
This milestone of the new fourth line comes hand in hand with other investments within the Asia Pacific Region. Recently, Barry Callebaut announced its decision to acquire GKC Foods in Australia and the groundbreaking of a new chocolate factory in India.
The company is the largest producer of chocolate and cocoa products in Asia Pacific, operating 10 chocolate and cocoa factories across Asia, namely in China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Barry Callebaut supplies many thousand tonnes of chocolate every year in this region to global and local food manufacturers, artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants, and caterers.
As the business acknowledges, the fourth line’s successful installation was also made possible thanks to the continued collaboration between the local team and Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), the local government agency that is responsible for spearheading the country’s industrialisation programme.
Harley Peres, Site Manager for the Senoko factory, said: “We have a wonderful history of chocolate making in Singapore because of the strong support from the Singapore government, in particular the EDB. Their recent guidance to my team helped greatly in completing this expansion project, achieving success during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
