Reuters
Factory shutdown to hit Barry Callebaut after 9-month sales rise
ZURICH (Reuters) -Barry Callebaut expects a “notable financial impact” in its fourth quarter from the shutdown of its Wieze factory as the world’s biggest chocolate maker said on Wednesday that strong demand boosted sales in the nine months to May. Sales volumes grew 7.9% to 1,751 thousand tonnes in the first nine months of Barry Callebaut’s fiscal year 2021/22, while sales revenue increased 13.5% to 6.076 billion Swiss francs ($6.27 billion), the Zurich-based group said in a statement, also confirming its mid-term targets. The global chocolate confectionery market grew only 1.4% during that period, Barry Callebaut said, and it outpaced it thanks to strong demand across regions and a continued recovery in its gourmet business that caters to bakeries and chefs.