Ex-unilever Chief Schumacher Named Barry Callebaut Ceo

Incoming Barry Callebaut CEO Hein Schumacher. Credit: Barry Callebaut

Barry Callebaut has hired erstwhile Unilever and FrieslandCampina CEO Hein Schumacher arsenic its caller main executive.

Shares successful nan B2B cocoa giant, which has been rumoured to beryllium considering hiving disconnected its cocoa division, roseate coming (21 January) aft nan announcement.

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Schumacher was successful complaint astatine Unilever when, successful March 2024, nan consumer-goods group said it would spin-off its ice-cream business.

He left Unilever successful February past year, earlier nan separation was completed. The statement of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, a customer of Barry Callebaut’s, was established past year.

Schumacher succeeds Peter Feld astatine nan helm of Barry Callebaut. Feld will time off adjacent week “to prosecute different profession opportunities”. He has been main executive since 2023.

Barry Callebaut president Patrick De Maeseneire said nan institution was nearing nan completion of a “transformation programme”, dubbed BC Next Level, to make nan institution “simpler, leaner and much agile”.

“With nan upcoming completion of BC Next Level, nan committee and Peter decided that now is nan correct clip for a CEO transition,” De Maeseneire said. “Next to championing our translator programme, BC Next Level, Peter has navigated our institution done nan cleanable storm, pinch unprecedented cocoa legume prices, marketplace turbulence and a challenging geopolitical situation. On behalf of nan full board, we convey Peter for his immense activity and activity and wish him each nan champion for nan future.”

De Maeseneire has reportedly denied Barry Callebaut is exploring nan thought of separating its cocoa limb from nan remainder of nan business.

The news of Schumacher’s assignment came alongside nan publication of Barry Callebaut’s income figures for nan first 4th of its financial year.

In nan 3 months to 30 November, gross roseate 8.9% to SFr3.67bn ($4.64bn). However, volumes slid almost 10%. Barry Callebaut pointed to Nielsen figures that showed nan cocoa confectionery marketplace was “declining”.

In Barry Callebaut’s past afloat financial year, a play that ran to nan extremity of August, gross jumped 42.4% to SFr14.79bn arsenic nan institution sought value increases to screen precocious cocoa legume commodity costs. However, volumes were down 6.8%.

De Maeseneire said today: “Hein is simply a seasoned and decisive leader pinch a unsocial blend of expertise successful food, B2C/B2B and ingredients, arsenic good arsenic a proven way grounds successful creating important shareholder worth from 2 CEO positions pinch Unilever and Royal FrieslandCampina. He is nan correct leader astatine this shape to floor plan Barry Callebaut’s adjacent shape of accrued customer focus, winning civilization and financial strength, based connected our fully-integrated cocoa and cocoa business model.”

Shares successful Barry Callebaut were up 2.41% astatine SFr1,277 astatine 14:11 CET today. They had risen to SFr1,328 earlier successful nan greeting aft nan announcement of Schumacher’s appointment.