The ordinary Annual General Meeting of Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s leading manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products, was held on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, in Zurich under the chairmanship of Andreas Jacobs, Chairman of the Board. All motions proposed by the Board were adopted. 1,096 shareholders attended the meeting, representing 3,713,393 shares or 71.83 % of the share capital.

The shareholders confirmed the re-election of Andreas Jacobs, Andreas Schmid, Rolando Benedick, James L. Donald, Markus Fiechter, Stefan Pfander and Urs Widmer for another term of office of one year.

Furthermore, the shareholders approved the proposed par value reduction and repayment of CHF 12.50 per registered share, instead of a dividend payment, and the amendment of the respective provision of the articles of association. The payment of the par value reduction is expected to take place at the beginning of March 2010, free of charges and net of income and withholding tax for shareholders with tax domicile in Switzerland.

KPMG AG, Zurich, were re-elected as auditors of the company for fiscal year 2009/10. 

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Barry Callebaut:
With annual sales of about CHF 4.9 billion for fiscal year 2008/09, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate – from the cocoa bean to the finished product on the store shelf. Barry Callebaut is present in 26 countries, operates about 40 production facilities and employs about 7,500 people. The company serves the entire food industry, from food manufacturers to professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), to global retailers. Barry Callebaut is the global leader in cocoa and chocolate innovations and provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing. The company is actively engaged in initiatives and projects that contribute to a more sustainable cocoa supply chain.

Fiscal year 2008/09 closed on August 31, 2009.