Barry Callebaut expands specialties and decorations arm with Italian purchase
The world's biggest chocolate and cocoa product maker said the acquisition would help expand its current range to include amaretti, meringues, cookies, glazings, for ice cream, yogurts, snacks and chocolate decorations.
Family-run business-to-business firm, D’Orsogna Dolciaria currently employs around 300 people spread across its facilities in Italy, India and Canada.
In 2016, the firm posted revenues of around €52 million ($59.85 million) along with sales volumes of approximately 12,000 tons.
‘Smart growth strategy’
“We are delighted to welcome D’Orsogna Dolciaria to the Barry Callebaut family,” said CEO of Barry Callebaut, Antoine de Saint-Affrique.
“This acquisition is a perfect fit with our ’smart growth’ strategy and will allow us to further accelerate the growth of our Specialties & Decorations business.”
Valerio D’Orsogna, CEO of D’Orsogna Dolciaria, added that while D’Orsogna would keep its brand name and presence in the Abruzzo region of Italy, the deal was “of tremendous strategic importance for maintaining and strengthening D’Orsogna’s international competitiveness.”
“Our competencies, know-how and excellence in quality have always been key strategic factors for our company and they are much appreciated by Barry Callebaut.”
Growing niche interests
This latest acquisition closely follows its purchase of the commercial vending arm of FrieslandCampina Kievit back in 2015.
The deal saw FrieslandCampina Kievit continue to produce vending products for Barry Callebaut, such as the Satro Quality Drinks range.
Barry Callebaut’s own Gourmet & Specialties Products Group already has two production sites located in Sweden and the UK of which the Vending & Beverages division is a part of.
Barry Callebaut group revenues grew +2.9% for the nine-months of fiscal 2016/17, it reported earlier this month.
Particularly strong revenue growth was recorded in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) boosted by a deal to supply Mondelēz International with 30,000 metric tons of liquid chocolate annually.
