Four years after launching its ‘2nd Gen Chocolate’ in Venice with Italian-style razzmatazz, Barry Callebaut returned to the innovation stage in Antwerp on Tuesday 27 October with a different proposition: exploring what fermentation can bring out of the cocoa bean.
The launch of Flavourcode also offered a glimpse of a company trying to recover some of its old swagger after a turbulent period of soaring cocoa costs and changes at the top.
At its Innovation Summit, held alongside the World Chocolate Masters 2026 final, the company emphasised flavour, research, and the needs of chocolate professionals. Under CEO Hein Schumacher, the company seemed keen to put those conversations back at the centre of its customer relationships.
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One summit cannot establish a turnaround. But it can signal a change in emphasis. In Antwerp, Schumacher met customers and engaged with the press, with chocolate and cocoa central to the discussion.