In North America, most luxury chocolate consumers know the Callebaut name and equate it with top of the line Belgian chocolate. This remarkable company is almost 150 years old.
In 1850, shortly after the invention of solid chocolate, the Callebaut family founded a diversified company. It consisted of a mill, a dairy, a brewery and a mineral water bottling plant.
In 1911 the company started to concentrate on manufacturing chocolate bars and tablets. In 1925, Callebaut began producing its own chocolate.
The company later developed specialized skills in the manufacture of chocolate coating, and sold its products to fellow chocolate producers.
In 1981, the Callebaut family sold its own shares to the Swiss group Interfood, which later took over or merged with other large European chocolate companies such as Suchard, Van Houten and S&A Lesme.
In 1988, Callebaut ceased production of its consumer products and concentrated exclusively on coating or couverture chocolate.
Callebaut works closely with its customers to develop new types of chocolate and compound coatings. The quality image of Callebaut and the strength of its international distribution network have enabled the company to increase export volumes significantly to become the largest chocolate manufacturer in the World.
Bernard Callebaut came from a family four generations deep in chocolate making. Today, the fifth generation, he is a master craftsman living in Calgary, Alberta Canada since 1983. Known as Chocolatier Bernard Callebaut, his creations have been applauded all around the globe.
Tags: bernard callebaut, callebaut, chocolate, chocolatier, master craftsman
