Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, announced, more than 140 years after the emergence of the first generation, the introduction of the “second generation of chocolate”.
Enabling brands and artisans to be fit for what consumers desire: food and drinks paying homage to nature’s flavors, while supporting them to live more healthily. The distinct flavour characteristics of the cocoa bean, cultivated during farming and awakened during the fermentation and roasting processes, are fundamental to the new chocolate. Barry Callebaut redesigned the making of chocolate – known as the Cocoa Cultivation & Craft principle (CCC) – to recognize the special qualities of each cocoa bean and coax out the nuances of flavour.
With initial efforts dating back to early 2000, Barry Callebaut gained new insight from a long-term research program in collaboration with the Jacobs University Bremen, Germany. Advanced detection technologies, combined with new sensory methods, enable the identification of unique characteristics in the cocoa beans. By applying the CCC principle, Barry Callebaut could redefine chocolate completely: “putting cocoa first, sugar last”. Moreover, to experience the nuances of cocoa flavours, the recipe of the second generation of chocolate is as pure as it can be and contains 60-80% more cocoa. Dark chocolate is made of two ingredients: cocoa to which only sugar is added. Milk chocolate is made of cocoa, milk and sugar. For reference, the current industry average contains 30-40% cocoa for Milk and 45-50% cocoa for Dark chocolate and contains 6-9 ingredients.
The new product design is not only testament to nature’s flavours, but also to the mindfully living consumer. The chocolate contains 50% less sugar than 80%+ of the chocolate consumed across the world. The chocolate taste ranges from a natural and rich cocoa flavour to more complex flavour profiles. By introducing the “second generation of chocolate”, Barry Callebaut aims to inspire and support brands and artisans to define their next generation of chocolate creations in confectionery, bakery, pastry, desserts, and ice-cream.
