The Barry Callebaut Group has reported a slowdown for the first six months of the year impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, with volumes declining in the third quarter (ended May 31, 2020) by –14.3%.
This led to a general decline in the Group’s sales volume of –1.3% to 1,568,878 tonnes in the first nine months of fiscal year 2019/20. The chocolate business’s sales volume declined by –14.1% in the third quarter, leading to a slight decline of –1.4% for the first nine months.
According to Nielsen, the first nine months’ underlying global chocolate confectionery market was flat (0.0%). Global Cocoa volumes were down –14.6% in the third quarter and about flat for the nine months under review (–0.7%). In the first nine months, sales revenue amounted to CHF 5.2 billion, an increase of +0.4% in local currencies (–4.4% in CHF).
Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group, stated that in April, COVID-19 lockdowns worldwide impacted its sales volume in the third quarter. He added that throughout the pandemic, the precautionary measures allowed the company to preserve business continuity and maintain a high service level for its customers worldwide while protecting employees’ health and the communities the company operates in.
In June, the Barry Callebaut Group noticed a gradual sales volume recovery as governments started to lift the COVID-19 measures. These early signs of recovery are noticeable both in Food Manufacturers and Gourmet & Specialties, at a different pace.
