Barry Callebaut is taking a big step into the Midwest.

The chocolate manufacturer has announced an outsourcing agreement with the Chicago-based business World’s Finest Chocolate.

Under the agreement, Barry Callebaut will acquire World’s Finest Chocolate’s industrial chocolate manufacturing assets and lease space at the existing production site in Chicago. Also included is a long-term supply agreement, under which Barry Callebaut will supply all of World’s Finest Chocolate’s chocolate demand from the family-owned business’s Chicago factory.

“Our long-term agreement with the Barry Callebaut Group guarantees the supply of our 75-year-old family recipe continuing to be made in our facility from ‘bean-to-bar,’” says Edmond Opler, ceo, World’s Finest Chocolate. “This partnership allows us to focus our energies on continued growth, manufacturing our finished goods and servicing our many customers.”

World’s Finest Chocolate will use the supplied liquid chocolate to uphold the company’s manufacturing tradition of delivering high-quality finished products.

The move expands Barry Callebaut’s manufacturing footprint in North America, specifically into the Midwest, by establishing a new manufacturing base.

“We feel much honored to have been selected by World's Finest Chocolate as their partner of choice,” says Dave Johnson, ceo and president Americas, Barry Callebaut. “This long-term agreement is another important step to strengthen our services for customers in the fast-growing Midwest region of the United States.”

It also highlights Barry Callebaut’s position as the preferred partner for outsourcing, he says.

Barry Callebaut will invest $5.7 million in World’s Finest Chocolate in the 2014-2015 fiscal year. This new site will allow the manufacturer to capitalize on growth opportunities with other customers in the region while strengthening its manufacturing footprint in North America, where it already operates 11 factories.

The production volume of the new factory is expected to hit 25,000 metric tons per year, and deliveries from the manufacturing base will begin March 1.