What Will ex-Unilever CEO Bring to Chocolate Manufacturer?

Barry Callebaut Group has signalled its intent to focus more on manufacturing optimisation with the appointment of Hein Schumacher as its new CEO.

The move is an important development in the broader cocoa and chocolate ingredients supply chain, particularly as the sector continues to navigate volatile commodity markets and evolving consumer demand for specialised products.

Leadership transition marks new growth phase

The appointment follows an extensive global search and coincides with the completion of the BC Next Level transformation programme.

Barry Callebaut described Hein as bringing more than 25 years of global leadership experience in the food industry, with a record of driving growth, shaping organisational cultures and creating long-term value.

His arrival comes after a period marked by unprecedented cocoa price volatility, market turbulence and geopolitical challenges that have affected manufacturers across the food and beverage sector.

Discussing his appointment, Hein says: "I am honoured to serve as CEO of Barry Callebaut. Following a period of unprecedented market turbulence, Barry Callebaut is at an exciting juncture."

He adds: "While the business continues to navigate market and volume pressures, we have a clear opportunity to return to growth, to strengthen our culture and to deliver a step-up in our business performance.

"I look forward to working with the Barry Callebaut team to delight our customers, strengthen the balance sheet and deliver sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders."

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Leadership experience in ingredients and manufacturing

Born in 1971, Hein brings more than two decades of leadership experience across global food and ingredients businesses.

From 2023 to 2025, he served as CEO of Unilever, where he implemented a comprehensive growth plan that sharpened the company's focus on core brands with higher added value and delivered significant shareholder growth.

Prior to Unilever, Hein held senior leadership roles at Royal FrieslandCampina, one of the world's largest dairy cooperatives with roughly 50% of revenues generated in B2B markets.

He served as Chief Financial Officer from 2015 to 2017 and as CEO from 2017 to 2023, leading the company through periods of volatile commodity prices and the COVID crisis.

Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade at HJ Heinz (now Kraft Heinz), including roles as President and CEO of HJ Heinz Asia Pacific and Executive Vice President of HJ Heinz China.

Transformation programme nears completion

Hein succeeds Peter Feld, who has led Barry Callebaut since April 2023, with a clear mandate to transform the company into a simpler, leaner and more agile organisation.

Peter will leave the company to pursue other career opportunities but will remain available during the transition, focusing on transferring knowledge related to the BC Next Level programme.

BC Next Level was designed to address market volatility and modernise the business. The strategy emphasises customer-centricity and digitalisation by reorganising the company into five regional divisions, improving speed and service.

It also involved CHF 500m (US$560m) in investments to optimise manufacturing, accelerate digital transformation and generate CHF 250m (US$280m) in annual savings, while sharpening the portfolio toward higher-margin, specialised products and growth in Asia-Pacific.

Reflecting on the transition, Patrick De Maeseneire, Chairman of the Group, says in a statement: "With the upcoming completion of BC Next Level, the Board and Peter decided that now is the right time for the CEO transition."

Manufacturing innovation and growth priorities

With the transformation phase nearing completion, Hein is set to lead Barry Callebaut into a period focused on market growth, balance sheet strengthening and deeper customer partnerships.

Strategically, this includes scaling Gourmet 2.0, expanding premium and specialised offerings such as sugar-free, high-protein and plant-based products and leveraging the optimised manufacturing and digital platforms established under BC Next Level.

The company is also advancing non-cocoa alternatives through partnerships such as Planet A Foods and accelerating Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered innovation via collaboration with NotCo AI.

Sustainability remains central under the Forever Chocolate framework, encompassing enhanced sourcing and traceability, a Net Zero roadmap to 2050 and future-focused farming initiatives.

Financial priorities under the new leadership include deleveraging, with a target to reduce net debt/Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) below 3.5x, and a return to volume and Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) growth, aiming for a 10% EBIT margin in the medium term.

With Hein taking the helm, Barry Callebaut is shifting from internal transformation toward positioning itself as a strategic partner for food and beverage manufacturers seeking innovation, reliability and sustainability in chocolate and cocoa ingredients.