Barry Callebaut to acquire Belgian-based Europe Chocolate Company

Barry Callebaut has agreed to acquire Europe Chocolate Company (ECC), a Belgian B2B manufacturer of speciality chocolate ingredients, for an undisclosed sum.

Established in 1993, ECC produces a wide range of speciality chocolate and decorations in multiple taste and colour variations including batons, curls, chunks, leaves and shavings.

The privately-owned manufacturer supplies a variety of customers in multiple industries such as biscuit, bakery, dairy, ice cream, confectionery and food service.

The deal will see Barry Callebaut expand its value-adding specialities capabilities, enabling it to cater to the growing demand from food manufacturers for highly customised industrial chocolate.

“We have a long-standing relationship with ECC and strongly believe in the growth opportunities of highly customised industrial specialty chocolate ingredients,” said Wim Debedts, VP of food manufacturers western Europe at Barry Callebaut.

“The acquisition will help us to further broaden our market position thanks to ECC’s unique know-how and its highly flexible manufacturing facility in Belgium.”

ECC operates a chocolate factory and warehouse in Malle, near Antwerp in Belgium.

Upon completion, ECC will be integrated into Barry Callebaut’s specialised chocolate molding capabilities and will enable the Swiss group to offer new tailor-made solutions.

Eric Van Tichelen, managing director of ECC, added: “I am very proud of the speciality chocolate business we have built from scratch over the past close to 30 years. Joining the Barry Callebaut family will enable and accelerate ECC’s growth with access to new customers, new geographies via a broad sales network, helping to accentuate our unique proposition.”

The transaction is expected to close in the coming months.  

Last year, Barry Callebaut acquired chocolate producer GKC Foods, in an effort to strengthen its position in the Australian and New Zealand markets.