Barry Callebaut Group reported today 9-month key sales figures for Fiscal Year 2017/18. In the first 9 months of fiscal year 2017/18 (ended May 31, 2018), the Barry Callebaut Group – the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – grew its sales volume by +6.9% to 1,512,853 tonnes.
Barry Callebaut achieved very good volume growth across all regions and product groups in a global chocolate confectionery market that grew +2.5%2. The volume increase was supported by all key growth drivers, Gourmet & Specialties (+7.8%), Outsourcing (+6.2%) and Emerging Markets (+8.8%).
The volume growth in Q3 (+4.8%) was strong on top of a good base from prior year. Sales revenue in the period under review amounted to CHF 5.2 billion, a decline of –2.4% in local currencies (–0.2% in CHF) due to lower raw material prices, which the Group passes on to its customers for a large part of its business.
Outlook – Confident to deliver on 4-year guidance
CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique said: “Looking at market trends and market dynamics, we continue to see many growth opportunities and are confident that this, together with the diligent execution of our ‘smart growth’ strategy, will allow us to deliver on our 4-year guidance1.”
Strategic milestones achieved in the first nine months of fiscal year 2017/18
“Expansion”: Barry Callebaut opened its first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center on the African continent – its 21st worldwide – on May 8, 2018, in Johannesburg, South Africa. As part of the continuous improvement of its footprint, Barry Callebaut announced the extension of its cocoa processing capacities in Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon. The investments in South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon reaffirm the Group’s commitment to the African continent.
“Innovation”: Since its global launch in Shanghai in September 2017, Ruby, the fourth type of chocolate, has been warmly welcomed by Barry Callebaut’s customers and making waves in consumer markets across the world. The iconic KitKat brand launched Sublime Ruby in its Chocolateries in Japan and South Korea in early 2018, followed by a fast roll-out of the KitKat Ruby 4-finger product in several European markets and Australia.
After the introduction of the finest Belgian Ruby RB1 chocolate under the Callebaut brand in March 2018, Barry Callebaut launched the Swiss Edel couverture for artisans, Ruby Rubina, under the Carma brand in May 2018. Ruby chocolate received the inaugural NCA Award for Supplier Innovation at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago, USA, created to honor breakthrough innovations that advance the confectionery industry, as well as the Marketing Award 2018 of Gault&Millau.
Furthermore, Barry Callebaut announced the extension of its dairy-free chocolate product portfolio in the United States, tapping into the growing customer demand for dairy-free chocolate solutions. Barry Callebaut‘s sugar-reduced solutions continue to grow by double-digits.
“Sustainability”: On June 4, 2018, Barry Callebaut signed three letters of intent with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to work collaboratively towards the design and validation of a sustainable cocoa farming model. This cooperation will also include agroforestry, income diversification for cocoa farmers and the planting of shade trees. Furthermore, from June 5 to June 7, 2018, Barry Callebaut organized the fourth Chocovision conference, bringing together over 200 senior business leaders and key stakeholders in the cocoa and chocolate industry to discuss strategic topics of common interest.
