Barry Callebaut: maintaining strong volume growth momentum

Barry Callebaut AG, Zürich, has achieved strong top-line growth with an increase in sales volume of 8.2% to 1,112,309 tonnes in the first nine months of fiscal year 2012/13 (ended May 31, 2013). During Q3, the company even accelerated its volume growth to 8.9%. With this, Barry Callebaut significantly outpaced the global chocolate market, which increased by 1.9%.

For the nine-month period, growth was recorded across all Regions, strongly supported by the company’s long-term outsourcing agreements and strategic partnerships as well as the Gourmet & Specialties Products business. Business in emerging markets continued to perform well, in particular EEMEA and Latin America.

Based on Barry Callebaut’s cost-plus model, lower average raw material prices compared to the previous year translated into lower sales revenue: -1.3% in local currencies (-0.5% in CHF) to CHF 3,540.7 million. Juergen Steinemann, CEO of Barry Callebaut, said: “We are pleased to have again achieved such strong, broad-based volume growth for the first nine months, especially as the general market environment in Western Europe was still challenging.”

www.barry-callebaut.com