Chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut, is unleashing the “full power” of the cacao fruit in a move that significantly reduces waste in the chocolate supply chain.
Whereas normally 70% of the fruit is discarded as waste, ‘Cacaofruit Experience’ makes use of the entire fruit: its beans, nutrient-dense peel and its pulp and juice.
This results in a range of high-quality ingredients that can be used in applications such as juices, smoothies, frozen desserts, bakery and pastry products, and snacks all the way to chocolate.
SnackFutures, the innovation and venture hub of Mondelēz International, is the first company to introduce ‘Cacaofruit Experience’ in a consumer product under its new CaPao brand.
CaPao is piloting two cacao fruit snack products – Smoothie Ball and cacaofruit Jerky Strips – with select retailers in Los Angeles.
‘Cacaofruit Experience’ is also hitting the chef and artisan market as a new type of chocolate: WholeFruit chocolate, a fresh, fruity chocolate made from 100% pure cacao fruit.
As of May 2020, WholeFruit chocolate will be available in two variants: WholeFruit Bold and WholeFruit Velvety.
A quantitative consumer study conducted by an independent global market research agency in the US, the UK and China predicts that WholeFruit is a winning value proposition, the company said.
“Our goal in R&D is to develop innovations that are on trend, satisfy unmet consumer needs and also taste great. WholeFruit chocolate scores on all three points,” said Pablo Perversi, Barry Callebaut’s Chief Innovation, Sustainability & Quality Officer
“It will respond to the need of millennials and centennials for ‘healthy indulgence’ just like our Ruby chocolate, launched in 2017, meets the need for ‘hedonistic indulgence’.
“Moreover, by using more of the cacao fruit and wasting less, we are also having a positive impact on the planet and its people. “
