Chocolatier Barry Callebaut set to expand foothold in Malaysia, Apac

BARRY Callebaut, a manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, announced the opening of its Asia Pacific Business Excellence Centre (Apac BEC) in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia yesterday.

The new facility will serve as a centre of excellence for the company, offering support for financial and accounting services, information management and technology, customer service, and other corporate functions. It aims to improve the customer experience by standardising and automating processes.

The Apac BEC represents a significant investment for Barry Callebaut in Malaysia and builds on the company's 30-year presence in the country. The centre employs over 100 individuals and plans to scale up to 150 employees in the coming months.

Malaysia continues to be an important hub for the Asia Pacific region, due to its strong manufacturing base, cultural diversity, and multilingual talents. The sales volume of chocolate confectionery in Malaysia grew by 12.7% in 2021, with a CAGR of 3.4% between 2016-2021, according to Nielsen.

Malaysia is a small-scale producer of cocoa beans, and according to the International Cocoa Organisation, its production has been fluctuating in the past years. The cocoa industry in Malaysia is still considered a developing one.

However, it has been gradually improving its capabilities to produce a higher quality cocoa bean, which has attracted more buyers, and chocolatiers to use the cocoa beans to create artisanal chocolate.

Malaysia produced around 10,000 metric tons of cocoa beans in 2020, which represent a decrease compared to previous years, mostly due to adverse weather condition.

Despite the small production levels, Malaysia's cocoa beans are highly valued for their unique taste profile and high-quality characteristics, which is why the country has been targeting the artisanal and premium chocolate market.

There are several initiatives being taken by the government, private sector, and farmers to promote and develop the cocoa industry in Malaysia.

The government has been investing in research and development to improve the quality and yield of cocoa beans, and to expand the acreage of cocoa farms.

There are also private companies and non-profit organisations working on capacity building and training programmes for farmers to improve their farming practices and increase their income.

It is important to note that the focus of Malaysia's cocoa industry has been on the production of high-quality cocoa beans. Whereas the focus of the Barry Callebaut's centre in Petaling Jaya is on shared services, such as finance and IT, for their Asia Pacific operations.

Barry Callebaut manufactures chocolate for confectioneries and food manufacturers and acts as an outsourcing partner for many Malaysian food manufacturers.

The company also imports premium European chocolate for artisanal and professional users such as chocolatiers, bakers, pastry chefs, hotels, and restaurants.

The company has introduced several of its innovative chocolate products to customers in Malaysia. These include its first dairy-free, plant-based chocolate, and WholeFruit chocolate made from 100% cacao fruit.

In 2017, 80 years after the discovery of white chocolate, they introduced a fourth type of chocolate that has since been dubbed ‘ruby’ for its pinkish hue. – The Vibes, January 12, 2023