Barry Callebaut, manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, announced the opening of its Callebaut Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Singapore. This milestone highlights the company’s commitment to accelerating innovation and transformation across the chocolate and cocoa industry, it says.

Located at Geneo in Singapore Science Park, the Callebaut Global Innovation Center (GIC) brings together two Centers of Excellence (CoEs): the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) CoE dedicated to chocolate and cocoa, and the company’s pioneering Cacao Coatings (compound) CoE.  

The Cacao Coatings CoE in Singapore is Barry Callebaut’s first CoE dedicated to advancing innovation, expertise, and customer solutions in cacao coatings, also known as compounds. It focuses on breakthrough product development in coatings and fillings, building deep formulation and application expertise to deliver scalable portfolios and customized brand solutions across markets, Barry Callebaut notes.

The Geneo site also houses the Callebaut Chocolate Academy Singapore alongside a regional Research and Development facility. The Academy delivers a unique customer experience by translating consumer trends and customer briefs into innovative concepts. Embedded within the Callebaut Global Innovation Center, it aims to turn insights into hands‑on co‑creation and practical solutions that accelerate customer innovation.  

In addition to the facilities at Geneo, the new state‑of‑the‑art pilot lab at its Senoko chocolate factory complements and strengthens its capabilities, creating a fully interconnected platform for both innovation and scalable production, the company says. This pilot lab enables rapid prototyping, small‑batch production, and process testing. Together, the five components of the GIC establish a comprehensive innovation ecosystem, Barry Callebaut says.

 As the first Callebaut GIC to launch a new integrated model, the Singapore center aims to embody a bold new approach to collaboration and creativity, reinforcing the nation’s role as a global hub for food innovation and digital advancement. 

Lee Pak Sing, assistant managing director for trade and connectivity at Enterprise Singapore, says: “Chocolate and cocoa have been traded out of Singapore for a long time. We are building on this foundation to leverage on R&D, innovation, and AI to develop new products and experiences. This latest investment by the world's largest chocolate and cocoa company underscores Singapore's role as an innovative and leading trading hub.” 

"Barry Callebaut’s new Global Innovation Center will anchor advanced R&D and AI capabilities related to cocoa and chocolate production in Singapore. Building on nearly three decades of manufacturing presence in Singapore, this new investment will deepen capabilities in AI and product development, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a trusted global innovation hub," says Soo Haw Yun, VP, global enterprises division, Singapore Economic Development Board. 

Barry Callebaut has been present in Singapore for close to 30 years, with the region’s largest industrial chocolate factory in Senoko, its AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) regional headquarters, and now the Global Innovation Center. 

“The establishment of our Global Innovation Center in Singapore represents a significant milestone in Barry Callebaut’s growth journey. Singapore’s world-class infrastructure, availability of talent pool and proximity to dynamic markets in the region make it the ideal location to drive chocolate innovation at scale. With strong support from the Singapore Government, this Center strengthens our ability to co-create with customers, accelerate business transformation, and reinforce Singapore’s role as a global hub for food innovation,” says Vamsi Mohan Thati, president of AMEA, Barry Callebaut. 

Amr Arafa, chief digital officer at Barry Callebaut, highlights the transformative role of AI in the chocolate and cocoa industry: “AI is redefining how we imagine, design, and deliver chocolate and cocoa experiences. By embedding AI into our innovation ecosystem, we are unlocking new possibilities from predictive flavor development to personalized customer solutions. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center in Singapore goes beyond immediate innovation, establishing the digital infrastructure that will shape tomorrow’s chocolate experiences.”  

Across its Singapore facilities, the Callebaut GIC will host more than 30 specialized roles including AI engineers, food scientists, chefs, application technologists, process technicians, and customer experience specialists. 

“Since Barry Callebaut’s founding, chocolate and cocoa have been at the heart of our heritage and innovation. Today, we are strategically expanding our capabilities to create immersive chocolate experiences that delight customers worldwide. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center ensures that the next chapter of chocolate continues to inspire and excite,” says Dries Roekaerts, president customer experience, Barry Callebaut. 

Related: Barry Callebaut invests $295M in Wieze, Belgium facility