UPCYCLED INGREDIENTS
of cocoa-free chocolate using non- animal, plant-based ingredients. Shea butter, algae-derived fats, soybean oil, and similar products are being used to replace cocoa butter in cocoa-free chocolates. Cocoa substitutes made from brewer’s grain protein are also being used to create chocolate-like confectionery. Highlighting some of the leading
players in the sector, Innova pointed to start-ups such as Voyage Foods, WNWN Food Labs, Nukoko, and Planet A Foods. Established ingredient companies are also innovating in the cocoa-free chocolate field, with producers such as Fuji Oil Co – a Japanese company that specialises in food ingredients – holding patents for cocoa substitutes made from brewer’s grain protein and AAK – which focuses on plant-based fats and oils – having patents related to cocoa substitutes for chocolate and similar products. Voyage Foods is a US-based startup that
is creating cocoa-free chocolate using upcycled grape seeds. It has patented methods for roasting and processing plant-based materials. Following the clean label and sustainability trends, its products are marketed as cocoa-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and free from common allergens. Together with Cargill, Voyage Foods is able to provide a sustainable chocolate substitute that is said to cut carbon emissions by 67%; reduce land use by 90%; and lower water use by 95%, compared to traditional chocolate. WNWN Food Labs is blending carob
with fermented grains like barley, wheat, and millet. It is also using non-animal fats such as shea butter. The products undergo a variety of fermentation and roasting processes at different temperatures to create specific flavours and aroma profiles similar to that of traditional chocolate which contains cocoa. Nukoko has patented a fermentation
process which mimics that traditional cocoa fermentation. Using microbial fermentation, it is turning legumes like fava beans and adzuki beans into sustainable cocoa-free chocolate – from bean to bar. Nukoko cocoa-free chocolate claims to have 40% less sugar and offers more protein, fibre, and antioxidants than regular chocolate. Planet A Foods is the creator of the
ChoViva chocolate flavour profile. Again, it is using fermentation and roasting processes to transform plant materials such as oats, sunflower seeds, jackfruit seeds, grape seeds, and fava beans into cocoa-like flavours. Following processing, the seeds are mixed with emulsifiers,
THE FIRST WAVE OF PATENTS IN COCOA-FREE CHOCOLATE
PROVIDES A GOOD INDICATOR THAT THIS SECTOR IS MOVING ON FROM BEING MOSTLY NICHE EXPERIMENTATION
working in the chocolate space and to help provide a structured pathway for innovators to develop and validate their alternative chocolate ingredients. “Cocoa price volatility has been a
flavours, and fats to create a variety of cocoa-free chocolate alternative products.
New Chocolate Challenge Other innovators in the field of chocolate alternatives have been highlighted via Bühler’s New Chocolate Challenge – a programme that it created to catalyse the development and industrialisation of cocoa-alternative ingredients. The Challenge focused on three
complementary innovation routes – plant- based or upcycled side-streams to deliver chocolate-like flavours and textures; biomass or precision fermentation to produce essential chocolate compounds (such as flavours and lipids); and cell culture approaches that leverage cocoa cells directly. The goal was to bring visibility and commercial viability to alternatives developed by start-ups
wake-up call. Through our New Chocolate Challenge, we aim to mobilise the ecosystem to explore credible, scalable cocoa alternatives while leveraging existing assets wherever possible,” says Thierry Duvanel, Bühler’s North American Director of Innovation. “The aim is to help the industry deliver outstanding chocolate experiences with greater resilience and sustainability.” In August 2025, the New Chocolate Challenge, in collaboration with industry leaders Hershey, Cargill, Puratos, Nestlé, Mars, Nutriart, Barry Callebaut, and the IRCA Group, opened a call for solutions – drawing over 50 submissions from start- ups across the globe. From this group, the Challenge committee selected three start-ups to move forward to the testing next phase, which took place at Bühler’s Chocolate Application Centre in Uzwil, Switzerland. In the Chocolate Application Center the
top three submissions were prototyped and tested to develop a pathway for a viable product – from lab to industrial scale. This process addressed critical issues such as what impact novel ingredients might have on the production process and what adaptations to the process may be required. Following a selection process conducted
by Bühler chocolate and innovation experts, along with participants from partner companies in the chocolate
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025/26 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 25
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