Barry Callebaut Opens Global Innovation Center in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Barry Callebaut announced the opening of its Callebaut Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Singapore.

Callebaut said this milestone highlights the company’s commitment to accelerating innovation and transformation across the chocolate and cocoa industry.

The company said the GIC is located at Geneo in Singapore Science Park and brings together two centers of excellence (CoEs), the world’s first Artificial Intelligence CoE dedicated to chocolate and cocoa, and the company’s pioneering Cacao Coatings compound CoE.

The Cacao Coatings CoE in Singapore is Callebaut’s first CoE dedicated to advancing innovation, expertise, and customer solutions in cacao coatings, also known as compounds, the company said.

The Geneo site also houses the Callebaut Chocolate Academy Singapore alongside a regional research and development facility. The company said the academy delivers a unique customer experience by translating consumer trends and customer briefs into innovative concepts.

In addition to the facilities at Geneo, the new pilot lab at the company’s Senoko chocolate factory complements and strengthens Callebaut’s capabilities, creating a fully interconnected platform for both innovation and scalable production, the company said. This pilot lab enables rapid prototyping, small‑batch production, and process testing.

Callebaut said together, the five components of the GIC establish a comprehensive innovation ecosystem, redefining how chocolate experiences are imagined, designed, and delivered.

New Approach. As the first Callebaut GIC to launch a new integrated model, the Singapore center embodies a bold new approach to collaboration and creativity, reinforcing the nation’s role as a global hub for food innovation and digital advancement, the company said.

“Chocolate and cocoa have been traded out of Singapore for a long time,” said Lee Pak Sing, assistant managing director for trade and connectivity at Enterprise Singapore. “We are building on this foundation to leverage on R&D, innovation and AI to develop new products and experiences.”

Pak Sing said this latest investment by the world's largest chocolate and cocoa company underscores Singapore's role as an innovative and leading trading hub.

"Barry Callebaut’s new Global Innovation Center will anchor advanced R&D and AI capabilities related to cocoa and chocolate production in Singapore,” said Soo Haw Yun, vice president, Global Enterprises Division at Singapore Economic Development Board. “Building on nearly three decades of manufacturing presence in Singapore, this new investment will deepen capabilities in AI and product development, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a trusted global innovation hub.”

Callebaut said the company has been present in Singapore for close to 30 years, with the region’s largest industrial chocolate factory in Senoko, its AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) regional headquarters, and now the Global Innovation Center.

“The establishment of our Global Innovation Center in Singapore represents a significant milestone in Barry Callebaut’s growth journey,” said Vamsi Mohan Thati, president of AMEA at Barry Callebaut. “Singapore’s world-class infrastructure, availability of talent pool and proximity to dynamic markets in the region make it the ideal location to drive chocolate innovation at scale. With strong support from the Singapore Government, this center strengthens our ability to co-create with customers, accelerate business transformation, and reinforce Singapore’s role as a global hub for food innovation.”

Amr Arafa, chief digital officer at Barry Callebaut, highlighted the transformative role of AI in the chocolate and cocoa industry.

“AI is redefining how we imagine, design, and deliver chocolate and cocoa experiences,” Arafa said. “By embedding AI into our innovation ecosystem, we are unlocking new possibilities from predictive flavor development to personalized customer solutions. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center in Singapore goes beyond immediate innovation, establishing the digital infrastructure that will shape tomorrow’s chocolate experiences.” 

Across its Singapore facilities, the Callebaut GIC will host more than 30 specialized roles including AI engineers, food scientists, chefs, application technologists, process technicians, and customer experience specialists.

“Since Barry Callebaut’s founding, chocolate and cocoa have been at the heart of our heritage and innovation,” said Dries Roekaerts, president of customer experience at Barry Callebaut. “Today, we are strategically expanding our capabilities to create immersive chocolate experiences that delight customers worldwide. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center ensures that the next chapter of chocolate continues to inspire and excite.”