Barry Callebaut and GarudaFood are extending their supply partnership in Indonesia after signing a long-term agreement for the supply of an additional 7,000 tons of compound chocolate per year to GarudaFood’s biscuit factory. Expected deliveries of the additional volumes are due to start mid-2019.

The chocolate manufacturing giant is also building a “plant in the plant” within GarudaFood’s premise in Rancaekek, Indonesia, representing an investment of approximately US$2.8 million.

As one of the largest food and beverage companies in Indonesia, GarudaFood, has been in partnership with Barry Callebaut since June 2015 when the first supply agreement was signed. As a result, Barry Callebaut has built its first chocolate factory on GarudaFood’s Gresik factory premises and is supplying more than 10,000 tons of compound chocolate per year to GarudaFood.

Barry Callebaut reports that the collaboration between the two companies will continue to be fuelled by joint innovation activities; further strengthening the position of GarudaFood as a market leader in Indonesia.

“This collaboration is also part of our ‘open innovation’ strategy and in support of Industry 4.0, so that our products made are of world-class quality. We further intensify the collaboration with Barry Callebaut which will support the performance of GarudaFood in producing innovative products to provide added value for Indonesian and foreign consumers,” says CEO of GarudaFood Hardianto Atmadja.

“This business expansion will also solidify our footprint in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country with more than 260 million people and one of the most vibrant economies in Asia Pacific,” adds Ben De Schryver, President of Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific.

Barry Callebaut’s presence in Asia goes back to 1997 when the company opened its first chocolate factory in Singapore. Across Asia, the company now operates five chocolate factories (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore), three cocoa factories (two in Indonesia and one in Malaysia) and one combined chocolate and cocoa factory (in Malaysia).