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 Chocolate alternatives infographic
Graphic shows chocolate alternatives amid shortage of cocoa beans.
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BUSINESS

Global shortage of cocoa beans

By Duncan Mil

September 3, 2024 - Climate change is stressing rainforests where susceptible cocoa beans grow. According to the National Confectioners Association, the chocolate market is massive, with sales in the United States surpassing $25 billion in 2023.

Cocoa prices broke $10,000 per tonne for the first time in March, amid disease outbreaks and destructive weather patterns in West Africa. Cocoa futures were as high as $10,080 in New York.

Cocoa is also on the European Union’s hitlist of deforestation-risk commodities and will soon become subject to the European Union Deforestation Regulation​ (EUDR) in December this year. The new law affects all companies importing cocoa into the bloc.

Six start-ups are rethinking cocoa with sustainability in mind.

Planet A Foods uses oats and sunflower seeds​ in Germany as the best-tasting chocolate alternative, sold under the ChoVivia brand.

In the United States, Voyage Foods is replacing cocoa with grape seeds​ from postharvest wine production, which it combines with vegetable oil, cane sugar, sunflower protein flour, natural flavours, sunflower lecithin and salt.

Californian Cultured is growing cocoa from cell cultures from cocoa bean cells.

UK-based start-up Nukoko makes cocoa-free chocolate from faba beans​, otherwise known as broad beans, which contain a seed storage protein known as vicilin.

Celleste Bio is developing “tree-free” cocoa butter and powder in Israel. Celleste Bio calculates that just one cell and one bioreactor can replace 10,000 square metres of cocoa plantations.

Southern Italian start-up Foreverland is working with carob to make cocoa-free chocolate products, which it markets under Freecao.

London-based Win-Win turns to carob and barley for alternative chocolate products. Win-Win sells its cocoa-free chocolate alternative in wholesale packs to bakeries, food service operators, and the confectionery sector.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 03/09/2024; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images, Hotel Chocolat, Science Photo Library
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