February 18/Zurich, Switzerland/StockMarketWire -- Barry Callebaut has acquired the remaining 51% of Biolands Group, its long-time supplier of certified cocoa beans from East and West Africa.

Barry Callebaut has been purchasing 100% of Biolands's top-grade cocoa since 2000 and acquired a 49% stake in Tanzanian-based Biolands International in 2008.

Since then, the model has been replicated in Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire through the establishment of Bio-United and Biopartenaire. With the complete takeover of the Biolands Group, 143 full-time employees have joined the Barry Callebaut Group.