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ZURICH, Switzerland – Barry Callebaut AG today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Hein Schumacher as new CEO, effective January 26, 2026, succeeding Peter Feld. With the upcoming completion of the BC Next Level transformation program, Peter Feld will leave Barry Callebaut to pursue other career opportunities. Peter will remain available to Barry Callebaut during the transition to Hein, with a focus on transferring his knowledge of the BC Next Level transformation program.
Hein Schumacher (born 1971, Dutch national) brings to Barry Callebaut over 25 years of experience in the food sector. From 2023-2025, he served as CEO of Unilever, where he implemented a comprehensive growth plan that allowed the company to sharpen its focus on core brands with higher added value and achieve significant shareholder value growth. Prior to Unilever, Hein Schumacher held key leadership positions at Royal FrieslandCampina, one of the world’s largest dairy cooperatives with 50% of their revenues in B2B, where he served as both CEO (2017-2023) and CFO (2015-2017).
In his role as CEO, he led Royal FrieslandCampina during times of very volatile commodity prices as well as through COVID and strengthened the company through a major restructuring initiative which resulted in a more focused business and a significant revenue increase.
From 2003-2014, Hein Schumacher was with HJ Heinz (now Kraft Heinz) in progressively more senior roles, including President & CEO HJ Heinz Asia Pacific (2013-2015) and Executive Vice President HJ Heinz China (2010-2013), based in Asia Pacific. He began his professional career as a Finance Manager with Unilever in 1996. (see also separate biography)
Hein Schumacher said: “I am honored to serve as CEO of Barry Callebaut. Following a period of unprecedented market turbulence, Barry Callebaut is at an exciting juncture. While the business continues to navigate market and volume pressures, we have a clear opportunity to return to growth, to strengthen our culture and to deliver a step-up in our business performance. I look forward to working with the Barry Callebaut team to delight our customers, strengthen the balance sheet and deliver sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
In a separate press release, the company disclosed its 3-month key sales figures for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025/26, marking an anticipated soft start to the year, with lower cocoa bean prices encouraging sign for market stabilization. Key figures:
- Sales volume in Global Chocolate decreased by -6.8%, in line with the declining chocolate confectionery market (-6.1%)1, and additionally impacted by the temporary suspension of production in St. Hyacinthe, Canada which is now resolved
- Global Cocoa sales volume declined by -22.0% reflecting negative market demand and prioritization of volume towards higher return segments within Cocoa
- Overall, Group sales volume decreased by -9.9%, with resilience in strategic growth areas of cacao coatings (compound) and AMEA region
- Sales revenue increased by +8.9% in constant currency to reach CHF 3.7 billion. While Group pricing was higher year-on-year, it is sequentially stabilizing and past its peak reflecting the recent softening of bean prices
- Driving innovation and enhancing customer experience across the full spectrum of chocolatey solutions to fuel growth, including ~600 cacao coating R&D projects underway and executing the phased international roll out of ChoViva, the chocolate alternative without cocoa
- Confirming FY 2025/26 outlook with clear focus on preparing for a return to growth. Lower cocoa bean prices encouraging for chocolate market stabilization
