The Home of the Finest Belgian Chocolate, Since 1911.
Callebaut chocolate is for people who demand nothing less than the best chocolate for their baking and dessert delicacies. Since they made their first products in 1911 in the small Belgian town of Wieze, Callebaut has been using the finest cocoa beans in each recipe to create delightful chocolate for bakeries, restaurants and home consumers. Their experts carefully select bean blends from West Africa, South America and Asia to create recipes that have just the right fullness, fruitiness and other notes. At World Wide Chocolate, you can experience the bliss in every bite when you buy Callebaut chocolate from the world’s leading high-quality cocoa manufacturer.
1911
Octaaf Callebaut
The news of Octaaf Callebaut’s first chocolate recipe quickly spread as the delicious aroma of freshly roasted cocoa beans piqued everyone’s interest. When brewers tasted his creation from the conche, they realized they were experiencing the beginnings of what would become Callebaut’s Finest Belgian Chocolate. This chocolate was sold under the Salvator brand name, honoring the village’s patron saint. Small shops in nearby villages and their customers developed a fondness for this new treat.
1918
Refining and Perfecting the Recipes
Octaaf dedicated his efforts to perfecting the beloved recipes we know as Callebaut 811, 823, and W2. He enriched them with such a deep chocolate flavor that he ended up inspiring chefs and chocolatiers to craft exquisite creations, by combining them with a wide variety of flavors and ingredients.
1920
The First Chocolate Couvertures
The Callebaut family’s focus shifted to producing high-quality chocolate couvertures for Belgian chocolatiers. The decision helped establish the strong reputation of Belgian chocolates post-war. This allowed chocolatiers and bakers to create exceptional sweet treats despite the challenges they faced during wartime.
1935
Chocolate Refined Through the Senses and A Delightful Collection of Recipes
Callebaut’s Master Chocolate Makers continue to embrace the traditions of their predecessors, using all of their senses to craft exceptional chocolate. Their rich heritage is evident in a rare handwritten recipe from 1935, that features the beloved ‘milk chocolate recipe n°845’. This recipe remains a favorite among chefs and chocolatiers, reflecting the timeless knowledge passed down through generations of chocolate makers. Callebaut’s chocolate makers have learned to appreciate the art of chocolate-making with both skill and intuition.
1958
The Birth of Liquid Transportation for Chocolate
Charles Callebaut, the next generation of the family business, created a method for transporting liquid chocolate directly to chocolate companies. This breakthrough enabled faster supply to customers and eliminated the need for labor-intensive re-melting and re-tempering in artisan workshops. This early 20th-century invention highlights the Callebaut family’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to making high-quality chocolate more accessible, while also ensuring consistent and excellent results.
1965
The First Export of Callebaut Chocolate “World Wide”
During this time period, more confectioners, pastry chefs, and bakers around the world are excited to get their hands on Callebaut Belgian chocolate. This marks the beginning of Callebaut’s chocolate exports, helping chefs globally enjoy its distinct flavor and excellent usability, while also enhancing the global reputation of Belgian chocolate.
1988
Chefs Embrace the World’s First Callets: Small Drops of Couverture Chocolate
Callebaut’s Callets are designed to help artisan chocolate chefs work more efficiently. These chocolate drops make it easier for chefs to measure, melt, and temper chocolate precisely. The Callets enhances its usability and helping chefs achieve excellent results.
Callebaut Opens its First Chocolate School: The Callebaut College
Callebaut College is a unique place where artisans from around the world come together to learn and share their craft. As the original home of Callebaut’s Chocolate Academy, it brings together confectioners and chefs to exchange ideas and experiences.
1996: Callebaut Merges With Cacao Barry
With the merging of Callebaut and Cacao Barry, Callebaut is still proud to be a fully Belgian brand. They strive to continue to craft its Finest Belgian Chocolate in Belgium from bean to bar.
2006
Exciting Cacao Flavors with Origin Chocolates
Callebaut’s origin chocolates captured the attention of chefs, inspiring them to craft unique creations. Known for their delightful flavors and rich aromas, these chocolates opened up new possibilities for pairings. Names like Arriba, Java, and Sao Thomé may ring a bell. Today, Callebaut continues to produce these Origin couvertures using some of the rarest cocoa beans available.
2011
Celebrating a Century of Chocolate Making
Callebaut marked its 100 years of chocolate making by celebrating with artisan chefs from around the globe. Each chocolate recipe pays homage to Octaaf’s original creations from 1911. The anniversary festivities took place in countries from Japan to Mexico, with artisan chefs and confectioners playing a central role in the celebrations.
2012
The Bold Shift to Sustainably Grown Cocoa with Cocoa Farmers in West Africa
Through the Growing Great Chocolate program, Callebaut is committed to using sustainably grown cocoa to help cocoa farmers in West Africa.
The Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Wieze stands as a dynamic center for chefs and chocolatiers to unleash their creativity and refine their chocolate expertise. It encompasses a small plantation, an exclusive Beanology room, an extensive chocolate library, and a specialized tasting ritual room. Central to this experience are four fully equipped workspaces tailored for bakers, pastry chefs, confectioners, and restaurant chefs. The mentioned workspaces are all aimed at enhancing chocolate-making skills.
2014
The Flagship Callebaut Chocolate Academy Center Opens its Doors
2016
Spreading the Love Through Bean-To-Bar Workshops
Callebaut provides chefs and chocolatiers “World Wide” with insights into the distinctive Callebaut flavor. In their bean-to-bar classes, Master chocolate makers teach the essentials of cocoa bean flavors, fermentation, blending, roasting whole beans, conching, and much more.
2018
The 4th Type of Chocolate is Born: Welcome Ruby Chocolate
Ruby chocolate is a rare find in the chocolate world, being the first significant new type in 80 years after dark, milk, and white chocolate. This natural creation amazes with its unique color and flavor, originating from the ruby cocoa bean without any added colors or fruit flavors. Its taste is unlike anything else, offering a fruity and vibrant flavor profile with fresh, tangy notes.
2019
Reviewing and Improving
Callebaut’s chocolate has evolved to meet the changing needs of the kitchen after a century of expertise in chocolate making. Their Finest Belgian Chocolates have been enhanced for your everyday challenges, offering an even bolder taste and improved workability. Their chocolate is all sourced from traceable cocoa liquor, ensuring that artisans can continue to create at their highest level.
Traceable and 100% Sustainable Cocoa Beans
Callebaut is committed to continuous improvement, producing cocoa liquor from traceable and fully sustainable cocoa beans. They work directly with cocoa farmer cooperatives in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Ecuador through the Cocoa Horizons program. The program seeks to empower cocoa farmers by offering training, skills development, and support for their communities.
2021
The “NXT” Iconic Taste is Born
Callebaut proudly presents its first generation of 100% plant-based chocolate, inspired by the flavors of the 823 and 811 varieties. Crafted for a new generation of consumers, NXT dairy-free chocolate is an ideal choice for those who savor plant-based indulgences.
Indulge in Callebaut Belgian Chocolate
