The facility opening is the latest condition of Barry Callebaut’s June 2011 long-term distribution agreement with Mexico-based Chocolates Turin.
The Mexico City-based facility will provide a wide range of training courses for professionals – strengthening their chocolate making skills and teaching them new techniques, trends and recipes specific to the Mexican market.
Senior management from both Barry Callebaut and Chocolates Turin attended the opening of the Chocolate Academy, which is the fourteenth of its kind in the world and the third in Americas.
The facility will be integrated with Barry Callebaut’s other 13 plants, which currently provide training to around 26,000 professionals and artisans each year.
Growth potential
Barry Callebaut spokesperson, Raphael Wermuth, told ConfectioneryNews.com that opening the Chocolate Academy is the firm’s latest effort to increase its presence in the Mexican chocolate market.
“For us, Mexico is an important market for our business," said Wermuth.
"So together with our local distribution partner of our gourmet products, Chocolates Turin,we have established the Chocolate Academy in an effort to further broaden our offerings to the chocolate artisans and chefs in Mexico."
“We already saw a lot of growth in this particular country and expect there will be much more.”
Mexican market needs
Chocolates Turin has welcomed the Mexico City Chocolate Academy opening.
“As a pure Mexican company, Grupo Turin is celebrating not only the results of the successful strategic cooperation with Barry Callebaut. With the opening of the first Chocolate Academy in Mexico we are also fortifying the Food Service market in the country,” said Grupo Turin CEO, Octavio Peñaloza Sandoval.
“In addition, the new Academy will have a research centre to develop new chocolate products tailored to the Mexican market needs,” Sandoval added.
