Barry Callebaut has signed a long-term outsourcing agreement with Atlantic Stark, a Serbia-based chocolate, biscuits and candy manufacturer. 

The parties have not disclosed any financial details.

Atlantic Stark has been operating since 1922 and is present in Serbia and the Western Balkans. 

Top-tier supplier
The long-term outsourcing agreement makes Barry Callebaut one of Atlantic Stark’s top-tier compound suppliers and its sole supplier of chocolate.

Atlantic Stark is the first regional customer to be supplied from Barry Callebaut’s new factory in Novi Sad, Serbia. Deliveries to Atlantic Stark will start imminently. 

A part of the volume will include Cocoa Horizons cocoa, Barry Callebaut’s preferred vehicle to implement sustainability initiatives.

“This outsourcing agreement is an important step to serve the still largely captive Southeastern European markets with chocolate and compound,” says Rogier van Sligter, co-president EMEA at Barry Callebaut. 

“Thanks to our Cocoa Horizons certification, we will also create more visibility for sustainable chocolate in Southeastern Europe, something both our customers and consumers are keenly interested in,” he notes. 

Moves in Europe 
The Swiss chocolate manufacturer has been active in the European region in recent months.

In June, Barry Callebaut agreed to acquire Europe Chocolate Company, a Belgian privately-owned B2B manufacturer of chocolate specialties and decorations. 

In the same month, the company launched its WholeFruit chocolate range’s “first expression” as Evocao, which can be used as couverture by chefs and artisans. 

The offering is made from 100 percent cacaofruit, allowing the company to appeal to demands for sugar-reduced  and upcycled products.

The move came at the heels of Antoine de Saint-Affrique stepping down as Barry Callebaut’s CEO and joining Danone as the new CEO of its dairy and baby food group.