Chocolate producer Barry Callebaut is to use AI to develop its recipes following supply chain shortages and higher cocoa prices.

Through a partnership with technology firm NotCo AI, the Swiss chocolate company said it will be able to accelerate innovation and deliver faster, more tailored customer experiences.

The initiative forms part of Barry Callebaut’s wider multi-year digitalisation agenda.

Barry Callebaut, which has been making chocolate for over a century, claims the move is the first AI-powered integration in the food industry.

The company will combine its high-quality ingredients data, global manufacturing, supply chain, and distribution infrastructure with the advanced platform to create
an end-to-end AI innovation hub.

Rising cocoa costs, climate pressure and ingredient shortages have forced the chocolate industry to reformulate products and increase research and development budgets due to supply chain disruptions.

Barry Callebaut said the use of AI will enable it to build a resilient future for chocolate innovation which maintains the taste and quality of products regardless of “volatile” agricultural conditions.

The company, which has over 60 production facilities worldwide and employs more than 13,000 people, said the project with seek to shorten development cycles and digitally empower every scientist and chef to create with “unprecedented speed and precision.”

Barry Callebaut added that the aim of the partnership is to build a new framework for chocolate innovation which is more sustainable and fully scalable to meet evolving customer and consumer needs.

“By combining our deep chocolate expertise and global reach with NotCo’s advanced AI capabilities, we’re aiming to unlock speed for breakthrough recipe solutions - from health-forward formulations to functional ingredients and Nutri-Score-friendly options,” said Peter Feld, chief executive of Barry Callebaut. “With the pace of change across the industry and the cocoa market, our customers’ needs are evolving rapidly.

“This collaboration enables us to test how AI can enhance process efficiency and scale our innovation efforts to meet future demands and allows us to accelerate our ways of working to deliver the best possible customer experience.”

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