• New Asia Pacific Business Excellence Center will provide shared functions and corporate services to further support the company's growth in the Region
• The Business Excellence Center is expected to be fully operational in the third quarter of 2022

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, announced today its plans to open a Business Excellence Center in Malaysia which bundles shared services in Finance and other corporate services including Customer Service, Information Technology and Human Resources for Region Asia Pacific.

The Asia Pacific Business Excellence Center is expected to be fully operational in the third quarter of 2022. It will be located in Petaling Jaya, which is part of the greater Kuala Lumpur area. This location makes the Center easily accessible from Barry Callebaut's existing cocoa and chocolate factory located in Port Klang, Selangor, where the Group has built shared functions and corporate services capabilities over the past few years.

About 115 employees are expected to move from the Port Klang site to the new location, which will offer employees a flexible work environment to promote a healthy and collaborative work life. Barry Callebaut expects to hire additional talents in the near future to further support its growth in the Region. It will also continue to operate its chocolate and cocoa factory in Port Klang, Selangor, and an additional cocoa factory in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Jo Thys, President Asia Pacific of Barry Callebaut, said: "The Asia Pacific Business Excellence Center will create business benefits such as further standardization of processes and increased operational efficiency to make us more competitive. It will support our growth and help us maintain our leadership position in the Region. Thanks to this world-class facility, we will continue to attract talents from Malaysia, and the rest of the world, to join us in providing chocolate happiness to the people in Asia Pacific."

Robert Kotuszewski, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut in Malaysia, said: "The Group's decision to host the shared services for Region Asia Pacific in Malaysia affirms our capabilities and fills us with pride. We are committed to continue our long-standing presence in the country since we first started our operations here in 2008."

Barry Callebaut is one of the leading cocoa and chocolate companies in Malaysia and employs more than 700 people locally. The Asia Pacific Business Excellence Center completes the Barry Callebaut Group's unique footprint in Malaysia, which includes both its Cocoa and Chocolate businesses.

About Barry Callebaut Group (www.barry-callebaut.com):

With annual sales of about CHF 7.2 billion (EUR 6.6 billion / USD 7.9 billion) in fiscal year 2020/21, the Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. The Group runs more than 60 production facilities worldwide and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of more than 13,000 people.
The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants or caterers. The global brands catering to the specific needs of these Gourmet customers are Callebaut^® and Cacao Barry^®, Carma^® and the decorations specialist Mona Lisa^®. The Barry Callebaut Group is committed to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025 to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods. It supports the Cocoa Horizons Foundation in its goal to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.

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