Is Chocolate Really Evolving Into A Superfood?

Cocoa prices have been rapidly rising since 2024 due to global supply shortages. The main reasons are climate adversities in key regions like West Africa and structural farming vulnerabilities. 

JP Morgan’s analysis shows that these price pressures will remain high through 2025 as well. Brands are rethinking pricing strategies to manage costs while appealing to increasingly price-sensitive consumers amidst rising inflation.

Aside from supply limitations, modern consumers prefer healthier, more sustainable, cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. Leading chocolate companies are investing heavily in sustainable sourcing practices to match this demand. They’re attempting to produce premium, bean-to-bar chocolates that resonate with modern consumer values. Moreover, the growing popularity of artisanal chocolates and new health-focused ingredients highlights the industry’s shift to stand out in a competitive market.

This report delves into recent patent filings by the major chocolate companies, showcasing their technology and product development strategies toward newer chocolate products free of cocoa. These include novel processing techniques, innovative flavor profiles, and eco-conscious packaging.

Chocolate products are going Cocoa-free.

Cargill’s research on sustainability in chocolate found that nearly 70% of consumers consider sustainability in their purchase decisions, with younger demographics showing a stronger inclination toward sustainable products. This trend also includes health consciousness, a focus on higher-quality chocolate, and an increasing interest in products made from cocoa-free alternatives.

Fuji Oil makes protein-rich white chocolate using soy.

Fuji Oil’s white chocolate uses plant-based proteins like soy and specific fats to replicate traditional white chocolate’s sensory qualities. This innovation closely mimics conventional white chocolate’s lightness, color, and taste while reducing animal-derived ingredients and off-flavors. 

In addition, Fuji Oil’s chocolate-like product uses roasted legume powders, a sustainable alternative to cacao. This method reduces cacao use and achieves a well-balanced chocolate flavor and aroma by carefully roasting legumes with sugars, amino acids, and water. 

WinWin Foods made a low-sugar, cocoa-free chocolate from fermented grains.

WinWin Foods has developed a cocoa-free chocolate composition using entirely plant-based ingredients, such as legumes, non-animal fats, and fermented cereal grains. This innovation replicates chocolate’s traditional taste and texture without relying on cocoa. Therefore, it addresses ethical and environmental challenges like deforestation and labor issues. By reducing sugar and saturated fat content, the product appeals to vegan consumers and health-conscious individuals.

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Delica AG made a vegan chocolate alternative with grape seeds

Delica AG has developed a chocolate alternative that does not contain cocoa but uses ingredients like vegetable fats, grape seed flour, and carob powder. This innovation addresses environmental issues by eliminating the need for cocoa, which often involves significant CO2 emissions from long, international transports. 

The product is enhanced with grape seed flour for its antioxidant benefits and carob powder for added vitamins, making it a healthier choice. It uses non-dairy milk substitutes such as soy or rice milk powders, making it vegan-friendly. It also avoids using palm oil to minimize ecological impact. Delica AG’s product offers the taste and texture of traditional chocolate while meeting consumer demand for ethical, locally sourced options.

Voyage Foods uses roasted and ground grape seeds as a filler in chocolates.

This patent from Voyage Foods Inc. outlines a novel composition and method for using processed plant seeds as fillers in chocolate products. Specifically, the innovation uses roasted and ground non-cocoa plant seeds, such as grape seeds, to replace dry cocoa solids in chocolate formulations. 

This filler can maintain the chocolate’s traditional qualities, such as smoothness, flavor, and aroma while reducing costs and supply chain instability. Grape seeds, typically a byproduct in industries like wine production, provide an eco-friendly answer to chocolate manufacturing, utilizing otherwise discarded materials. 

Using Chocolate to Enhance Gut Health, Mood, and Gaming Performance!

The chocolate industry is evolving to meet the growing consumer demand for products that offer indulgence and health benefits. By harnessing natural compounds found in cocoa, such as flavanols, chocolate products are crafted to enhance mood, provide anti-inflammatory effects, and support gut health. 

This shift reflects a broader trend in food industries towards incorporating functional benefits into everyday treats, responding to a lifestyle emphasizing wellness and enjoyment. As a result, chocolate is increasingly positioned as a treat and a product that aligns with health-conscious consumer habits, expanding its appeal and relevance in today’s market.

Meiji Co. enhances mood and gut health with cocoa-derived flavanols and compounds.

Meiji Co. is focusing on health-enhancing advancements through natural cocoa compounds. They are exploring specific health benefits, like Cocoa flavanols’ ability to improve mood, particularly for menopausal women. Also, the anti-inflammatory agents derived from cacao nib extract relieve inflammation. 

Precisely, 2-nonanone, acetophenone, and cocoa procyanidin can modulate the intestinal microbiome to improve gut health. These initiatives demonstrate Meiji’s dedication to embedding health benefits in its products, appealing to health-conscious consumers by transforming chocolate into a vehicle for promoting wellness.

Thomastone Co. made edible pigments for oral hygiene using cocoa

Thomastone Co., Ltd. has developed a composition focused on oral health, particularly tooth coloring. It utilizes natural pigments such as cacao and gardenia blue. The product aims to provide a safe, edible alternative to traditional tooth colorants, reducing adverse effects such as gum problems.

The composition aids oral hygiene by visibly highlighting dental plaque and bacterial films, making these hidden oral health threats easier to detect and address. By leveraging natural substances traditionally associated with wellness, like cacao, Thomastone aligns with growing consumer demand for products that prioritize health and safety without compromising efficacy. 

Laila Nutraceuticals improves gaming performance using cacao extracts!

Laila Nutraceuticals utilizes cocoa in a novel synergistic herbal composition that targets nootropic benefits and enhances gaming performance. This approach incorporates Theobroma cacao extract to improve cognitive functions, highlighting cocoa’s role beyond traditional consumption. 

This innovation aligns with the increasing consumer demand for products that offer indulgence and tangible health benefits. Laila Nutraceuticals taps into the growing wellness and functional food market by showcasing cocoa’s potential in new, health-focused applications.

Bioingred Tech uses cocoa beans to create antioxidant-rich functional foods.

Bioingred Tech and Nac De Chocolates Company have developed a process for extracting biocompounds from unfermented cocoa beans. This method yields high concentrations of bioactive compounds (like epicatechin and procyanidin B2) known for their antioxidant properties. The collaboration focuses on extracting and stabilizing these compounds as suspended particles, thus enhancing their bioavailability in healthy foods.

Their method includes ways to create both liquid and powder forms of cocoa. This advanced development turns raw cocoa compounds into functional, health-boosting ingredients.

Replacing Cocoa Butter with Alternative Vegetable Fats

The chocolate industry is developing alternative fat compositions to replace palm oil or cocoa butter. This innovation is driven by environmental concerns, including deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions associated with palm oil production. The quest for sustainable, cost-effective, and health-conscious solutions prompts the exploration of plant-based fats and oils. 

These alternatives aim to replicate or even enhance the properties of cocoa butter, delivering equivalent melting profiles, textures, and sensory characteristics without compromising on taste or quality. This trend resonates with environmentally conscious consumers who value products with reduced ecological impact and ethical sourcing. By incorporating blends of alternative fats, manufacturers strive to maintain high-quality chocolate experiences while addressing contemporary environmental and consumer demands.

AAK made a palm oil-free fat composition as a cocoa butter improver

This innovation by AAK AB introduces a fat composition that includes a vegetable fat phase free from palm oil, originating from at least two different sources, Shea oil, and Sal oil. This composition maintains the quality and stability of chocolate-like products, demonstrating the capability to function as a cocoa butter improver (CBI).

The invention creates non-palm oil-based chocolate compounds that offer bloom stability and are suitable for various confectionery applications, from baked goods to coatings and molded products. Introducing unique triglyceride compositions provides an eco-friendly alternative to conventional fats used in the chocolate industry.

Lotte’s new cocoa-free chocolate product has improved mouthfeel.

Lotte’s patent introduces an esterified oil and fat composition made from specific fractions of palm kernel fractionated and palm fractionated oil, optimized through a chemical transesterification process. Using specific ratios to produce the fat composition provides an optimized balance of melting properties and mouthfeel. The formulation boasts a high solid fat content and minimal unsaturation, mimicking the melting behavior of cocoa butter yet providing improved stability and texture in the final chocolate product. 

Leveraging advanced methods (such as sodium methoxide catalysis), Lotte’s innovation stands out in producing cocoa butter substitutes that are cost-effective and high-performing. These substitutes offer a sophisticated mouth-melting experience and quality stability.

Fuji Oil Holdings made a unique fat composition that improves chocolate characteristics.

Fuji Oil Holdings has developed a specialized fat blend that enhances chocolate’s texture, stability, and shelf life. Combining a fat that provides firmness with another that stays liquid at room temperature creates smooth chocolate that holds its shape well. This blend also minimizes unwanted compounds that affect the texture, helping the chocolate resist melting too quickly, stay fresh longer, and prevent fat bloom without hydrogenated fats. The result is a high-quality chocolate experience similar to premium cocoa butter-based products.

Nisshin Oillio Group partially replaces cocoa butter with a fat blend for improved stability.

Nisshin OilliO Group’s innovation focuses on creating a specific blend of fats that partially substitutes cocoa butter in chocolate formulations. This composition includes a balanced mix of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids that align well with the structural properties required for high-quality chocolate. 

The partial replacement strategy is designed to achieve an improved melting profile and prevent common storage issues like bloom without needing complete cocoa butter reliance. This approach reduces cocoa butter usage, provides economic and sensory benefits, and aligns with the growing demand for sustainable food production practices.

The Path Ahead

In addition to adopting cocoa-free products, chocolate makers must explore bio-based fat replacements and health-enhancing compounds that don’t compromise taste and texture. Companies that successfully bridge indulgence and functionality will capture the growing health-conscious consumer market. 

Using upcycled materials, newer extraction techniques, and alternative fat compositions will mitigate cocoa price volatility and supply chain risks. R&D teams must leverage patent intelligence and consumer insights to anticipate shifts and develop next-generation chocolates. An innovation scouting partner like GreyB can help you speed up this process. Reach out to our experts with your questions using the form below: