The Barry Callebaut Group celebrated the opening of its new office and its new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Beijing with customers (global and local food manufacturers, as well as professional chocolatiers) and distribution partners.

The new office and the new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center will provide better assistance to Barry Callebaut’s local customers with onsite training and application support. This latest investment reemphasizes the company’s continuous efforts in growing its presence in the region as well as an appreciation of the strategic importance of the Chinese market.

Continued expansion in China

China has been a key target market for Barry Callebaut for over a decade. Already back in 2008, Barry Callebaut opened a chocolate factory and a CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Suzhou, followed by a relocation of the offices and the CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center to Shanghai in 2010. The offices in Shanghai, which will continue to be the company’s head office in China, are currently being expanded. Barry Callebaut also chose Shanghai for the global launch of Ruby, the fourth type of chocolate, in 2017.

With the addition of the new Beijing office, Barry Callebaut China has increased its sales representatives in the Greater China region spanning Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Taipei and extended its distribution network across 21 key- and second-tier multi-million cities in China including Chongqing, Dalian, Kunming, Nanjing, Ningbo, Tianjin, Xiamen, and Wuhan.

Although the domestic chocolate industry witnessed a boost in sales volume recently, chocolate consumption per capita in China is still at 100 grams – with plenty of room to grow. According to analyst firm Nielsen, the chocolate confectionery category in China grew (in terms of volume growth) by 4.5 percent in the last twelve months.

CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Beijing

The new office in Beijing also includes Barry Callebaut’s second CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in China—the only country with two such centers—and the company’s 22^nd CHOCOLATE ACADEMY globally. The CHOCOLATE ACADEMY centers are a teaching and training center for artisans and professionals who want to improve their skills in chocolate and learn about new trends, techniques, and recipes. In the last 10 years, more than 3,500 craftsmen in China have attended these events in the CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center in Shanghai.

Through both its CHOCOLATE ACADEMY centers in Beijing and Shanghai, Barry Callebaut shares with China its more than 175 years of rich heritage through its global Gourmet chocolate brands Callebaut (chocolate made in Belgium), Cacao Barry (chocolate made in France), Carma (chocolate made in Switzerland), and its decorations brand Mona Lisa.

Complementary expansion across Asia Pacific

In Asia Pacific, Barry Callebaut already operates nine chocolate and cocoa factories and employs more than 1,800 employees. In the last 12 months, the company has expanded its sales operations in Australia, Indonesia and also in the Philippines, in addition to its existing sales offices in India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Its second chocolate factory in Indonesia is currently being built in Rancaekek (near Bandung).