Barry Callebaut’s Indonesia’s arm has entered into a joint venture agreement with cocoa bean exporter P.T. Comextra Majora.
The chocolate manufacturer said today (18 November) the deal includes building a new CHF30m (US$32.7m) cocoa processing facility in Makassar with an initial grinding capacity of 28,000 tonnes. Grinding capacity is an indication of how many tonnes of cocoa beans the plant can process.
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Operations are expected to start in early 2013.
P.T. Barry Callebaut Comextra Indonesia will be headquartered in Makassar, Indonesia. Barry Callebaut will own 60%, while P.T. Comextra Majora will hold the remaining 40% stake.
Barry Callebaut will be responsible for running the factory and will purchase the products manufactured, while P.T. Comextra Majora will supply the factory with cocoa beans.
The joint venture will allow the world’s biggest chocolate manufacturer to increase its sustainable sourcing activities in Indonesia through P.T. Comextra’s relationships with local cocoa farmers, Barry Callebaut said.
Zurich-based Barry Callebaut posted annual sales of CHF4.6bn for fiscal year 2010 to 2011. The company operates 40 production facilities in 27 countries.
