In spite of – or perhaps because of – the rise of indulgent snacking, the chocolate sector is seeing renewed interest in its nutritional benefits. This is taking the form of both marketing cacao as a superfruit itself, as well as reformulating chocolate to have healthier credentials. It is spoken to key players in the industry to examine the changing relationship between chocolate and nutrition, with sugar reduction being an especially key issue in the space at the moment.
“Health-related products are becoming both more and more important in the market and increasingly important for us at Luker Chocolate. We have a number of products that look after our holistic health without losing sight of the indulgence that is so representative of chocolate. One of our main challenges is how to reduce sugar in our products without losing the sensory quality or indulgent nature of chocolate. To tackle this, we are working hand in hand with international allies to provide us with alternative raw materials that can replace sugar and thus meet market demands,” says Camilo Celis Rueda, Brand and Communications Director at Luker Chocolate.
Sugar reduction has been a key concern in recent years as governments impose nutrition goals within the industry. However, Public Health England found that the chocolate sector had achieved a reduction in total sugar per 100 g of just 0.3 percent between 2015 and 2018 – far below the initial target of 20 percent.
Nonetheless, Cargill recently invested US$5 million in its Mouscron, Belgium, facility in a bid to expand its sugar reduction capabilities in chocolate. Meanwhile, GoodMills Innovation launched High-MAC wheat bran, which is touted as enabling sugar reduction in products, including chocolate creams.
“When chocolate manufacturers do not completely remove sugar, they often reduce the sugar content. More and more brands use sugar-related claims, including ‘sugar reduced,’ ‘alternative sugars’ and ‘sugar-free.’ Several brands are replacing sugar with stevia or monk fruit, which are popular natural sweeteners. Sweet proteins, like thaumatin, may also be increasingly used in chocolate in the coming years,” explains Kevin Bangratz, Marketing Researcher at Prova.
Various brands are also using coconut sugar to replace usual sugars. Not only is coconut sugar an efficient replacer in terms of functionality and taste, but customers also consider it to be healthier, notes Bangratz. “That is why we can say that coconut and chocolate make a fantastic pair.”
A holistically healthier product
Reformulation is also touching upon areas outside of sugar. Marco Oomen, Global Business Director in Chocolate & Confectionery Fats at AAK, highlights that legislative change led the company to remove trans fatty acids. Meanwhile, Mondelēz International announced a new 100 calorie cap on UK brand Cadbury’s chocolate and wider biscuit offerings.
However, it is not just about removing nutrients as companies also explore enriching their offerings with healthy boosts. Rueda highlights Luker’s VitalCao HF formula, which provides 15 to 20 percent more prebiotic fiber than regular chocolate. Meanwhile, VitalCao AOX is high in antioxidants, which helps protect cells up to 60 percent more than regular chocolate. These ingredients are achieved through a patent-pending production method, where post-harvest practices and an industrial process obtains large amounts of antioxidants and cocoa fiber.
Additionally, Oomen notes that the combination of nuts and chocolate allows chocolate spreads to benefit from a health halo. “Consumers of all ages are getting a taste for sweet spreads. They are looking for exciting new flavors, great textures and, very often, a healthy touch. One of the most significant drivers of this cross-generation movement is the growing consumer awareness of nuts as a rich source of nutrients – protein, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.”
Cacao as a superfruit
In addition to the healthification of chocolate confectionery, the cacao fruit is also seeing increased interest.
In addition to the healthification of chocolate confectionery, the cacao fruit is also seeing increased interest. Earlier this year, Barry Callebaut launched the “Cacaofruit Experience.” As well as including WholeFruit chocolate, which is made from 100 percent cacao fruit and has at least 40 percent less sugar, 90 percent more fiber and 25 percent more protein than most dark and milk chocolates, the company also collaborated with the CaPao brand.
Through SnackFutures (a new Mondelēz innovation hub), CaPao is piloting a smoothie ball and jerky strips in some Californian US retailers. The products do not contain chocolate and use just the cacao fruit as an ingredient, often in combination with other fruits and nuts. “This is the first brand that uses all the elements of the fruit. Cacao pulp is a huge platform. For years, the whole industry was just using a small portion of the cacao fruit, so this is revolutionary,” says Gil Horsky, Director of Innovation at SnackFutures.
As a result, CaPao is now framing cacao as “the ancient Wonderfruit,” highlighting that the fruit contains many nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and fiber. Meanwhile, start-up kōkōjoo recently won Anuga’s Food Start-Up Award in the Drinks category for its first product, Pelure de Cacao, which is made from a cocoa bean shell infusion. It is touted as being rich in antioxidants and minerals, low in calories and sugar, vegan and completely natural.
Additionally, clean label, plant-based and storytelling are also overarching themes in today’s chocolate sector.
