AAK has developed Illexao, a range of fats suitable for making a “super compound” that can replace up to 100 % of the free cocoa butter in a chocolate recipe. In turn, this will enable chocolate manufacturers to reduce formulation costs by up to 40 % with no decline in quality or product stability.

Traditionally, cocoa butter was the only vegetable fat used in chocolate. Yet, a combination of increased demand, rising prices, varying quality levels and inconsistent supplies has led chocolate companies to seek alternatives. Standard compounds are more affordable, but the fat has a different composition to – and is not compatible with – cocoa butter, leading to sensory differences in the chocolate due to a lower cocoa mass content. Depending on the blend of vegetable fats in the compound, manufacturers may be forced to consider compromising the nutritional profile of their product by adding saturated and trans fats. Technical difficulties such as these have therefore limited the use of compounds largely to chocolate coatings.

However, by using the right vegetable fat, such as AAK’s Illexao range, to replace some or all of the cocoa butter in the chocolate recipe, it is possible to produce a “super compound”. This overcomes all of these obstacles, giving manufacturers the opportunity to create indulgent choco-late with excellent sensory properties and clean label credentials while saving 10 to 40 % of ingredient costs. The exact amount of savings depends on the recipe and the raw material costs.

Additional benefits of using the super compound include increased scope for customization and improved shelf stability, bloom resis-tance and shape retention. Increased stability is more essential than ever during the Covid-19 crisis, since more shoppers are ordering food over the internet.

Marco Oomen, AAK’s Global Business Director for Chocolate & Confectionery Fats, says: “Our research shows that the taste of chocolate is by far the most important factor for consumers. This makes it important not to cut costs at the expense of taste by using ingredients that are cheaper than cocoa butter but inferior in terms of performance. The Illexao range of super compounds offers both a premium eating experience and lower raw material overheads, as well as a clean label and no difference in the nutrition profile of the finished product”.

The main fat phase of the super compound comprises vegetable fats with a similar composition to cocoa butter. This means it is fully compatible with cocoa butter, which will allow chocolate manufacturers to use it in their products to reduce costs while continuing to add cocoa mass to their formulations. The super compound delivers equivalent taste, texture and meltdown properties, as well as a similar nutritional profile. The standard super compound solution is a blend of shea butter and palm oil. Alternative exotic fats can be incorporated in line with the chocolate manufacturer’s preferences.