Belgian group Sweet Products finalizes acquisition of Cémoi

In May, both companies entered an exclusive negotiation process to build a major player in both chocolate and confectionery markets in Europe. Within 12 years, Fons Walder, owner and CEO of Sweet Products, has thus increased the group‘s turnover from around € 110 m (2009) to more than € 1.2 bn. The group now has 24 production sites with over 5,000 employees. With the Cémoi Group, Sweet Products now secures control over the cocoa supply chain, as Cémoi processes around 145,000 tonnes of cocoa beans and ­produces 260,000 tonnes of finished products.
In addition to the 14 factories, France‘s largest chocolate manufacturer Cémoi has three sales offices in Russia, Portugal, and the USA. Sweet Products, owner of the ­Baronie Group, has grown through acquisitions. In 2009, Baronie bought ­Continental Schokolade and Rademaker as well as in 2011 the Barry Callebaut European Consumer Division (Stollwerck, Jacques, and Chocolat Alprose). The takeovers of the Belgian speciality manufacturers Kathi in 2011 and Duc d‘O in 2014 as well as the acquisition of the British Ashbury Chocolates Ltd. followed.