What Sicao does

Sicao is a B2B chocolate and cocoa ingredients brand operating under Barry Callebaut AG, one of the world's largest chocolate manufacturers. The brand targets professional users across Latin America — primarily Brazil, with secondary reach in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and other regional markets. Its customer base spans artisanal chocolatiers and pastry chefs, industrial food manufacturers, hotels/restaurants/catering (HORECA), and home-baking enthusiasts, with the first two segments flagged as primary.

The product portfolio is organized into three tiers: Sicao Nobre (premium real chocolate with 100% cocoa butter options), Sicao Fácil (compound coatings and inclusions designed for confectionery production), and Sicao Mais (value-segment fractionated coatings). Formats include drops, chips, chunks, kibbles, bars (1.01kg to 5kg), and bulk packaging up to 20kg, plus decoration grains. The brand also operates the Chocolate Academy — a training and recipe platform — and participates in the Cocoa Horizons sustainable sourcing program. Production runs through Barry Callebaut's Brazilian manufacturing footprint in Ilhéus, Extrema, and Itabuna, with regional HQ in São Paulo.

Sicao's revenue model is wholesale B2B distribution of chocolate ingredients via direct sales (website with 'Where to Buy' locator) and regional distribution partners. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Sicao itself is not an independent legal entity for revenue purposes — it is a brand within Barry Callebaut Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Alimentícios Ltda., a wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly-listed parent Barry Callebaut AG (SIX: BARN).

Name

Sicao

Legal name

Barry Callebaut AG

Website

https://sicaochocolate.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sicao is a B2B chocolate ingredients brand under Barry Callebaut AG, serving professional chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and food manufacturers in Brazil and Latin America with couvertures, coatings, inclusions, and decorations across premium, mid, and value tiers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Chocolate Ingredients

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing (31135)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Confectionery Manufacturing (Chocolate, Candy, Gum) (AFAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery (CRADABAA), Patisserie & Confectionery (Chocolate/Sugar Arts) (EDAOAKAD)

Keywords

• Professional chocolate ingredients
• Couvertures and coatings
• Chocolate decorations
• Baking and confectionery
• Cocoa inclusions

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Chocolate Ingredients Sales: Wholesale and distribution of chocolate ingredients, cocoa products, couvertures, decorations, and inclusions to professional users including bakeries, pastry shops, ice cream shops, hotels, restaurants, and food manufacturers. Products are sold in bulk packaging (1kg to 20kg) through distributors and direct sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sicao manufactures and sells professional chocolate ingredients, including couvertures, fractionated coatings, chocolate bars, drops, chips, sprinkles, and inclusions under three product lines: Sicao Nobre (premium), Sicao Fácil (confectionery), and Sicao Mais (value segment). Products are sold in bulk packaging (1kg to 20kg) to professional chefs, pastry professionals, bakeries, hotels, restaurants, and food manufacturers in Brazil and Latin America. The brand also operates the Chocolate Academy training platform and participates in the Cocoa Horizons sustainable cocoa sourcing initiative.

Product overview

Sicao is a professional chocolate brand from the Barry Callebaut Group, serving chefs and confectionery professionals across Brazil. The product portfolio consists of multiple lines organized by application and quality tier: Sicao Fácil (easy coating) for confectionery and baking production with formats in 1.01kg drops and 5kg bars; Sicao Mais for mass-market applications; Sicao Nobre (premium) chocolate bars and chips for high-end confectionery; and decoration products including chocolate grains/sprinkles in dark, milk, and white variants. The offering also includes the Chocolate Academy training service and sustainability programs through Cocoa Horizons. Products span chocolate chips, drops, coatings, bars, and decorations across cocoa percentages from white to 40%+ dark chocolate, available in sizes from 300g retail to 20kg bulk formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sicao Nobre: Premium chocolate product line featuring high-quality chocolate bars, chips, and drops for professional use.
• Sicao Fácil Confeitaria
• Sicao Mais

Products and services

• Sicao Nobre (Premium Chocolate Line) Premium chocolate product line featuring high-quality real chocolate bars, chips, and drops with rich flavor profiles for professional bakery, confectionery, and dessert applications. Available in milk, dark (40% cocoa), and white variants in formats including 1.01kg bars and 10kg chips.
• Sicao Fácil Confeitaria (Confectionery Coating Line) Exclusive product line for confectionery and bakery production featuring perfect flavor and texture for coating and decorating. Available in milk, dark, and white chocolate variants in 1.01kg drop and 5kg bar formats, designed for molded figures, filled items, donuts, macarons, and dipped desserts.
• Sicao Mais (Value Segment Line) Value-tier chocolate coating line with fractionated coating drops in milk and blend chocolate flavors. Available in 1.01kg and 2.05kg formats for dipped desserts, bakery, and confectionery applications where cost efficiency is prioritized.
• Granulado Decorations (Chocolate Sprinkles/Grains) Chocolate grain/sprinkle decoration products available in dark (37% cocoa), milk, and white variants with 100% cocoa butter options, in 300g retail packaging for decorating sweets and desserts.
• Chocolate Chips and Inclusions Pourable chocolate chips and inclusions available in milk, dark, and white variants in 1.01kg, 2.5kg, and 10kg formats with up to 18 months shelf life, designed for inclusion in bakery, ice cream, cookies, and confectionery products.
• Chocolate Academy Training Service Training, inspiration, and expert advisory service for chefs and professionals to expand their chocolate and confectionery business through specialized in-person courses, recipes, and chef support.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cocoa Horizons FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSicao participates in the Cocoa Horizons sustainable cocoa sourcing initiative managed by the Barry Callebaut Group. For each chocolate product purchased, a portion is reinvested into sustainable cocoa cultivation through the Foundation, supporting farmers and ensuring long-term cocoa supply quality.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Callebaut: Callebaut is Barry Callebaut's flagship professional chocolate brand globally, serving the same pastry chefs, chocolatiers, and industrial customers with couvertures and decorations. It is the most directly comparable brand to Sicao and effectively a sister brand under the same parent.
• Valrhona: Valrhona is a French premium couverture and confectionery brand sold to professional chefs, bakeries, and chocolatiers worldwide, including in Brazil and LATAM. It is one of Sicao's main premium-segment competitors for artisan couverture and chocolate decoration sales.
• Guittard Chocolate: Guittard is a US-based premium couverture and chocolate chip manufacturer serving professional bakers, chocolatiers, and confectioners. It competes with Sicao Nobre in the premium professional couverture category, particularly through importers and specialty distributors in LATAM.
• Felchlin: Felchlin is a Swiss premium couverture manufacturer serving professional pastry chefs and chocolatiers, including in Brazil via importer partners. It competes head-to-head with Sicao Nobre in the premium real-chocolate couverture segment.
• Cacao Barry: Cacao Barry is another Barry Callebaut-owned professional chocolate brand targeting pastry professionals and chocolatiers with couvertures and the Cacao Barry Academy. It competes in the same premium professional segment as Sicao in selected LATAM markets.
• Belcolade: Belcolade is Barry Callebaut's Belgian-origin professional chocolate brand serving industrial bakeries, ice cream makers, and chocolatiers with couvertures and compound coatings. As another sister brand under the same parent, it competes with Sicao for the same professional customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Professional: Nestlé Professional supplies chocolate and culinary ingredients to foodservice, bakeries, hotels, and restaurants across Brazil and LATAM. It competes with Sicao's HORECA and industrial segments as part of a broader foodservice portfolio rather than a chocolate-only focus.
• Puratos: Puratos is a global bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients supplier offering couvertures, fillings, and finished mixes to professional bakers and industrial customers across LATAM. It overlaps with Sicao's B2B ingredient portfolio across a broader bakery product range.
• Cargill Cocoa: Cargill Cocoa is a major B2B supplier of cocoa and chocolate ingredients (Gerkens brand) to industrial food manufacturers, bakeries, and confectioners globally, including in Brazil. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same industrial and professional chocolate volume as Sicao.

Regional players

• IBC (Industria Brasileira de Chocolate): IBC is a Brazilian chocolate and compound coating producer serving the local industrial, bakery, and ice cream segments. As a regional manufacturer, it competes with Sicao Mais and Sicao Fácil in the value-tier B2B market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/sicaochocolates
• Facebookfacebook.com/SicaoAmericas
• Instagraminstagram.com/sicaochocolate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sicao-chocolate

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sicao