The Barry Callebaut Group has signed a long-term outsourcing agreement with Atlantic Stark, a leading chocolate, biscuits and candy manufacturer in Serbia. Atlantic Stark has been operating since 1922 and is present in Serbia and the Western Balkans. The long-term outsourcing agreement makes Barry Callebaut to one of Atlantic Stark’s top-tier compound suppliers and its sole supplier of chocolate. According to the press release, Atlantic Stark is the first regional customer that will be supplied from Barry Callebaut’s new factory in Novi Sad, Serbia. Deliveries to Atlantic Stark will start as of now. A part of the volume will include Cocoa Horizons cocoa, Barry Callebaut’s preferred vehicle to implement sustainability initiatives.

Rogier van Sligter, Co-President EMEA at Barry Callebaut, said: “This outsourcing agreement is an important step to serve the still largely captive Southeastern European markets with chocolate and compound. Thanks to Barry Callebaut’s 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.” The two parties have agreed not to disclose any financial detail.