Wirral's independent local news website
Chocolate maker Barry Callebaut has announced that it will close its Moreton site, effective today.
The Swiss firm employed 45 full-time staff and 19 agency workers at Moreton. The site closure is due to the company’s strategy “to continuously improve its operational efficiency.” Just two of the staff will be redeployed within the company.
Dame Angela Eagle MP, said, “The closure of the Barry Callebaut factory marks the sad end of 70 years of chocolate production in Moreton.
Since Cadbury first built the site back in 1952, generations of local families have found work in the chocolate factory, as it became Burton’s Biscuit Company in the 80s and was eventually acquired by Barry Callebaut in 2019.
“Today’s closure brings the loss of 62 local jobs and an end to the proud tradition of chocolate making in Moreton and is a very sad day for the local community.”
A spokesperson for Barry Callebaut said, “We have made the difficult decision to close the factory on 31 May.”
“This is not a course of action that has been taken lightly and comes after exploring all alternatives to better balance production capacity and demand in the UK,” he said.
“We would like to thank all our employees for their dedication and hard work over the years.”
Barry Callebaut was created in 1996 through the merging of the Belgian chocolate producer Callebaut and the French company Cacao Barry. It is currently based in Zürich, Switzerland, and operates in over 30 countries worldwide
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