Global chocolate ingredients giant Barry Callebaut is preparing to introduce a cocoa-free chocolate alternative in the United States as early as this year, driven by strong interest from food manufacturers seeking solutions to volatile cocoa prices and supply chain challenges.
The company is partnering with German food-tech startup Planet A Foods to scale ChoViva, a cocoa-free chocolate substitute made primarily from sunflower seed powder and plant-based fats. The product is already used in hundreds of food products across Europe and Japan and is now being positioned for broader adoption in the U.S. market.
According to TJ Mulvihill, Vice President of Marketing for the Americas at Barry Callebaut, the company has received “very strong” interest from manufacturers and expects commercial launches to gather pace within the current calendar year.
ChoViva is produced using sunflower seed powder, a byproduct generated after oil extraction, combined with ingredients commonly found in chocolate, including sugar and lecithin. The alternative is designed to replicate the taste and texture of traditional chocolate while offering manufacturers greater supply stability and potentially improved profit margins.
The push comes as the global chocolate industry faces unprecedented pressure from record-high cocoa prices, climate-related supply disruptions, and growing scrutiny over sustainability issues in cocoa farming, including deforestation, low farmer incomes and child labour concerns.
Industry experts say alternative chocolate products are gaining momentum as major food companies search for ways to reduce dependence on cocoa. ChoViva’s ability to be processed using existing chocolate manufacturing equipment is viewed as a key advantage, lowering investment requirements for brands looking to incorporate the ingredient into new products.
Initially, Barry Callebaut plans to focus on using ChoViva in applications such as coatings for nuts, snack products and protein bars rather than launching standalone cocoa-free chocolate bars.
The race to develop cocoa alternatives has intensified across the food industry. Earlier this year, Cargill announced a partnership with Voyage Foods to commercialize a cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from grapeseeds, while Mondelez International recently showcased chocolate bars produced using cell-cultured cocoa butter technology.
Founded in 2021, Planet A Foods developed ChoViva after analyzing cocoa beans and evaluating more than 200 ingredients to identify a sustainable alternative capable of closely replicating conventional chocolate. The company already counts major food manufacturers among its customers in Europe, including Nestlé.
With established overseas supply chains and growing interest from manufacturers, Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods believe the product is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable and cost-effective chocolate alternatives in the U.S. market.