Barry Callebaut AG has announced plans to to invest $27.9 million in two North America expansion projects, which will add about 60,000 tons to production capacity.

Specifically, the company plans to expand its St. Albans, Vt. facility by expanding its liquid and chocolate moulding capacity.

Barry Callebaut also plans to purchase Batory Industries Co.’s, Chatham, Ontario facility, which together with its facility in Robinson, lll., will give the company two facilities to service customers in the Midwest market.

Coupled with 2011 investments in Mexico and Pennsauken, N.J., and the January acquisition of the gourmet products manufacturer, Mona Lisa Foods Products, Inc. in Hendersonville, N.C., Barry Callebaut's has invested $99.7 million in the North American region in the last two years.  

“Through investment in our existing facilities and expansion through acquisition in North America, we have found an ideal solution to address current and future business growth,” says Juergen Steinemann, Barry Callebaut’s ceo. “The increase of our production capacities will support the further development of our industrial business in the region while also gaining geographic advantage with our customers by adding a key Midwest facility."

Barry Callebaut is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate  — from cocoa bean to the finished chocolate product. The company serves industrial food manufacturers, artisans and professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), the latter with its two global brands Callebaut and Cacao Barry.