Barry Callebaut inaugurates its first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center in South America

Barry Callebaut / Barry Callebaut inaugurates its first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center in South America . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Opening of the 15^th CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center in São Paulo

• Barry Callebaut opens a new, unique training center specialized in chocolate - its first in South America  

• CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center offers a wide range of training courses and demonstrations for chefs, culinary professionals as well as chocolate experts  

São Paulo/Brazil, June 19, 2013 - Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, announces the opening of its first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center in South America, the 15^th center worldwide. Located at Paulista Avenue in São Paulo, the CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center is a state-of-the-art teaching and training facility for culinary professionals at all levels interested in strengthening their skills in working with chocolate and learning about new techniques, trends and recipes dedicated to the Brazilian market.

The center's offerings include a wide range of training courses and demonstrations for customers in all sectors: chocolatiers, chefs, pastry, bakery and other chocolate experts as well as culinary professionals working in hotels, restaurants and the catering business.

The CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center will showcase the knowledge accumulated over more than 150 years by Barry Callebaut's world-leading Global Gourmet chocolate brands Callebaut^® and Cacao Barry^®, and well as the company's local brand Sicao^®, and will encourage the exchange of technical expertise in chocolate between professionals.

Bertrand Busquet, French chef and Technical Advisor at the new Brazilian chocolate training center explains: "Our new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center - the first in South America - will offer a wide range of courses to cover all demands - for beginners up to the experienced chef. Many Brazilian chocolate experts travel to Europe and North America to take courses. Now they can find a high-level place around the corner, here in Brazil."

Barry Callebaut's new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center occupies 473m² at the company's Brazilian headquarters. The spacious training center features a professional kitchen with individual marble countertops for the chocolate pre-crystallization and all the equipment and utensils one would find in the world's best schools.

Besides Technical Advisor Bertrand Busquet, international chefs and teachers from abroad will share their knowledge and techniques at the new center in São Paulo. The first in a row of such international guests will be the award-winning chef Joseph Ribé, Technical Advisor at Barry Callebaut's CHOCOLATE ACADEMY(TM) center in Gurb, Spain. He will conduct a confectionary and pastry course from July 23 to 25, 2013.