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Rabat – Belgian-Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut Group has entered the Moroccan and African markets after securing a long-term agreement with Attelli.
Barry Callebaut announced that it took over Atelli’s manufacturing unit in Casablanca on Tuesday, explaining its plan to expand its production footprint in Morocco and Africa.
Owned by France-based Cofrapex Group, Attelli specializes in catering, food distribution, and retail in North Africa.
Attelli’s General Manager Hadrien Devichi considers the partnership as an opportunity for the company to offer a wide range of chocolate products to customers in Morocco and beyond.
Echoing Devichi’s statement, General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Barry Callebaut Amine Mebrouki said the new partnership would enable the Belgian-Swiss giant to “gain further insights into the needs of local customers and provide locally produced goods [in an effort] to drive growth in different segments, from gourmet to food manufacturers.”
Barry Callebaut’s expansion into the African market reflects the company’s current growth strategy. The first implementation of the strategy in Morocco was with the opening of the Chocolate Academy Center in Casablanca to train local chefs and artisans.
Today, the Casablanca-based center and factory are set to “complement each other, by offering co-creating and co-developing opportunities as well as manufacturing solutions,” says the company’s statement.
In July, Barry Callebaut’s Chief Marketing Officer Bas Smit shared with online publisher Food Ingredients First the group’s plans to enter “high potential emerging markets” by increasing operations in traditional markets in Western Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific region.
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“We are leveraging our global footprint of more than 60 factories, our industry-best innovation pipeline and cost leadership,” Smit said. “In this spirit, you can expect a continuation in the current year and beyond.”
The marketing chief continued, “We will be implementing existing outsourcing volumes, and strategic partnerships, as well as securing further outsourcing deals with global and local food manufacturers are an essential part of our growth strategy.”
In addition to boosting production, Smit says that Barry Callebaut works on “addressing the consumer need to indulge more mindfully” while offering a wide range of products at a reasonable price.
To do so, the group aims to expand its network of factories globally, especially in vibrant emerging markets with low-cost and experienced labor such as Morocco.
According to Williams & Marshall Strategy forecasts published in 2020, the Moroccan cocoa market is expected to be valued at $59.28 million in 2025 after marking a 4.8% year-on-year increase.
The market researcher noted that the Moroccan cocoa market is growing at a higher rate compared to the 2015-2019 period when the annual growth rate stood at nearly 3.5%, which highlights potential opportunities for global players in the chocolate industry.
