Barry Callebaut Expands Options for Confectionery Personalization

02 Feb 2015 --- Barry Callebaut, a leading manufacturer of high quality chocolate and cocoa products, has launched the Barry Callebaut FullFill Factory. Designed to answer the increasing need of personalization and flexibility for both small and large food manufacturers alike, the FullFill Factory creates added value through a broad array of personalization options with base products as well as added colors, flavors, and texture.

"The FullFill Factory caters to the demand for personalized concepts present in all market segments, being mainly confectionery, bakery and ice cream. With the FullFill Factory our customers can easily and promptly adapt to the constantly changing consumer environment and market trends. Our solution provides all the means necessary to reach that goal," says Sofie De Lathouwer, Marketing Director FM Western Europe at Barry Callebaut.

The personalization process is made up of four possible steps: the customer chooses the desired base product (being chocolate, compound or a filling) and has the possibility to add color(s), flavor(s) and/or texture. The FullFill Factory provides great flexibility in its color and flavor offerings for all food manufactures thanks to the convenient 1 kg format of cocoa butter based flavor and color components, called FullFlavors and FullColors respectively. The Color Master ensures convenient use and guarantees consistent results, time after time. A comprehensive variation of these components and the ease in which they can be mixed, melted and dosed, ensures the FullFill Factory concept offers the most convenient and personalized creativity solution.

“We are seeing a real trend among our customers for new flavour and colour concepts. Consumers want a surprise and new, bold decorations with colours like blue and green are in demand. We would not have seen this even two years ago,” De Lathouwer told FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Flexibility is key for our customers,” she said. “Sometimes they get very late briefs from their customers and this service allows them to create a real stand-out moment with a colour or flavour.”

“Using our calculation tool, the customer can quickly look up the product, its weight and components, and the calculator will immediately tell the customer if there is too much of a colourant in the product. 

“The next step could be to reformulate the product; we can give the guidance to develop the product further,” says De Lathouwer.

Components can be blended with the customer's own equipment or with the Barry Callebaut FlexMelter. This is the world's first flexible melting and blending container for solid and liquid chocolate, compounds and fillings. The FlexMelter is created to support the process of blending in smaller batches or quantities, while avoiding contamination issues with normal production lines. Besides, Barry Callebaut can also produce the complete product in-house and deliver the finished product to its customers.
 
"We wanted to add a new service supporting the talent and ideas of all food manufacturers: creativity should not be limited by a company's size. More than a practical tool, the FullFill Factory is a service to enable our customers to offer their desired product to the marketplace," says Sofie De Lathouwer. "Not only do we provide our customers with concrete means and components to experiment and realize their favorite recipe, we also share our savoir-faire to make sure their creation is feasible, top-quality, and legally compliant."

There are certain legal regulations for the use of colors and some flavors in manifold applications. The Barry Callebaut's FullFill Factory concept offers a unique selling proposition to its customers by adding the support that calculates the legally allowed doses to comply with EU legislation; customers no longer have to worry if their products are compliant with the latest regulations.  

“Some of the innovations we have been working on allow customers to make the most of new trends and occasions such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween. For example, the flavour orange does not come with a colour profile, so it can be used in a blue or green product, which is very popular at the moment.

“However, blue has always been a colour that is not permitted in bakery products. A breakthrough product is our Spirulina, which overcomes this as it does not have any regulatory issues. With the current trend for macaroons, spirulina is a great alternative, especially as we have eliminated the salty taste often associated with spirulina. And this attracts customers. With our calculation tool, checking on legislation, we do the worrying for our customers,” concludes De Lathouwer.

by Kelly Worgan & Robin Wyers