The chocolate and cocoa products group Barry Callebaut Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Serbia and the City of Novi Sad to construct its first chocolate factory in Southeastern Europe. The facility will be located in Novi Sad, 90 km northwest of Belgrade, and is planned to have an initial annual production capacity of over 50,000 tons. In all, €50m is to be invested in the plant over the next five years, though it should be operational by 2021.
Antoine de Saint-Affrique, Chief Executive Officer of the Barry Callebaut Group, said the company chose Novi Sad in large part because of its university and the availability of human resources. “With the new factory in Novi Sad, in line with our ‘smart growth’ strategy, we will be able to expand our footprint in the region and supply current as well as new customers with a wide range of chocolate, compound and filling products. The factory will serve as a regional hub from which Barry Callebaut can address the rapidly growing chocolate markets of Southeastern Europe.”
