Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut added to Ukraine’s ‘sponsors of war’ blacklist
Ukraine’s National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption has added Barry Callebaut to its “international sponsor of war” list for continuing to do business in Russia.
The Zurich-based chocolate giant told the AWP news agency on Friday that it condemned “all belligerent activities” and shared “the deep concerns raised throughout the world by the war in Ukraine”.
It also assured that it strictly complied with all international sanctions and regulations in the context of its activities.
The Swiss chocolate firm added that following Moscow’s attack against Ukraine, it had “actively suspended all new investments in Russia and adjusted (its) activities in this market”.
+ Swiss-based firms active in Russia are ‘filling Putin’s war chest’
Ukraine accuses Barry Callebaut of maintaining its business activities in the Russian Federation, where it operates three factories, and of financing Russia’s war effort via its taxes – $33 million in 2022. In addition, the multinational is alleged to have supplied a confectionery factory “under the guise of basic necessities”, whose chocolate is given to Russian soldiers as food rations.
+ Cocoa factory slow-down spells trouble for chocolate industry
The Ukraine agency said that last year Barry Callebaut shipped more than $94 million worth of goods to Russia, three times more than in 2022. “Barry Callebaut continues to actively support the Russian economy and, consequently, to sponsor its aggression against Ukraine,” it said.
Among food groups, the Zurich-based group joins Vevey-based Nestlé on the list of “international sponsors of the war”, as well as Mars, PepsiCo, Mondelez and Unilever.
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