Jan 24 Sales from the world39;s biggest chocolatemaker Barry Callebaut rose slightly in the three months to the end of November, as the company managed to pass on some of the impact of a surge in cocoa prices.

The company, which supplies chocolate for the Magnum ice creams made by Unilever and for Nestle39;s KitKat bars, said sales volumes increased by 0.4 to 580,876 tonnes versus the 578,300 tonnes estimated in the companyprovided median consensus.

The Q1 rise compares with 579,000 tonnes in the same period a year ago, when a salmonella outbreak at its biggest factory in Wieze, Belgium, hampered production.

Barry Callebaut39;s shares rose 2 in the Julius Baer premarket trade.

Sales increased by 14 in local currencies up 6.1 in Swiss francs to 2.24 billion Swiss francs 2.58 billion as the group passed on some of the increase in raw material prices by offering more private label products, Barry Callebaut said.

Barry was able to deliver on market expectations, which is key in this challenging period of rebuilding investor trust, Vontobel analyst JeanPhilippe Bertschy said, adding the company has undertaken significant refinancing measures to address rising cocoa prices.

In November, prices for cocoa beans on the New York exchange ICE hit the highest in 46 years due to a supply deficit caused by adverse weather, tree illnesses and capacity shortages.

With the recent weakerthanexpected cocoa bean harvest data from West Africa, the cocoa price development continues…