Global chocolate and cocoa giant, Barry Callebaut, has agreed to acquire the manufacturing assets, brands, customer portfolio, and recipes from Brooklyn, New York-based American Almond Products Co., Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Upon integration of American Almond into Barry Callebaut’s North American business on August 1 of this year, Barry Callebaut will see a significant expansion of its specialties products portfolio.

 

Founded in 1924, American Almond is a leading provider of nuts, nut pastes, nut butters, crunch toppings, nut flours, bake-stable fillings, marzipan, and cookie mixes to bakers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs and frozen dessert manufacturers. Producing approximately 2,000 tons of nut products a year, the company generated sales revenue of US$15.9 million in 2014.

 

In 2012 Barry Callebaut Group acquired the Spanish company, La Morella Nuts SA, gaining a leading presence in the European nut-based ingredient industry. The acquisition of American Almond demonstrates Barry Callebaut’s ongoing strategy of expanding into the nut ingredient sector, which is seeing growing customer demand and is highly complementary to the chocolate industry.

 

“American Almond’s business fits perfectly with our overall strategy to further strengthen our market position in adjacent ingredients products for both our Gourmet & Specialties and Food Manufacturers Products business, says Dave Johnson, CEO and President, Americas of the Barry Callebaut Group. “The acquired business will significantly broaden our product portfolio and open up attractive new growth opportunities as it complements our chocolate and cocoa product offerings.”

 

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