How fillers and flavours help reduce cocoa in chocolate treats 

Flavours and fillers claim to achieve up to 50% cocoa powder reduction in everything from protein shakes to chocolate cookies without compromising taste. Keystone / Martin Ruetschi

Record high prices of cocoa beans have boosted the development and adoption of cheaper replacement options which provide the same chocolate taste - for less.  

Food companies have seen their profit margins hit by record cocoa prices caused by two successive years of unfavourable weather in West Africa in 2023 and 2024, where 75% of the world’s cocoa is harvested. According to the latest quarterly bulletin of the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) released on August 29, global cocoa production declined by 12.9% year-on-year to 4.368 million tonnes. The global supply deficit widened to 494,000 tonnes.  

While some of this price increase has been passed on to chocolate lovers, manufacturers have been innovating with solutions to replace cocoa with customised flavours and fillers without sacrificing on taste. These substitutes are already found in many chocolate flavoured treats like ice creams, cakes or muffins. 

According to market analysis firm Market Research Intellect, the cocoa flavour market was worth $1.5 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase to $2.3 billion by 2033.

In June, Dutch-Swiss fragrance and biosciences firm DSM-Firmenich released a new brochure for a novel product that promises its clients – which include most major food and beverage companies – relief from high cocoa prices.

“Are you frustrated with cocoa price volatility? Are you looking to reduce cocoa in your recipes without compromising on taste? Replacing and extending cocoa powder is not a simple task – this consumer-favourite flavour is complex. DSM-Firmenich’s flavour experts have the tools you need to reduce your dependency on cocoa,” states the webExternal link page from where the brochure can be downloaded.  

Brochure advertising DSM-Firmenich’s cocoa powder extenders. DSM-Firmenich

DSM-Firmenich’s answer to “cocoa dependency” is what it calls cocoa powder extenders. The company claims these extenders (artificial or natural depending on how much cost savings are needed) can achieve up to 50% cocoa powder reduction in everything from protein shakes to chocolate mousse without compromising on taste.  

The company did not respond to Swissinfo’s request for information on the composition of these cocoa powder extenders. However, research by Swissinfo identified one of these DSM-Firmenich products as CocoaCraze. It claims to reduce cocoa ingredient reliance by up to 50% in flavoured milk, 40% in biscuits and cookies and 33% in fat fillings that use cocoa butter.  

A presentation made for investors and analysts at its ESG Expert Investor Event in March stated that CocoaCraze achieved double digit sales growth in 2024. A search for CocoaCraze in the US trademark registry revealed that it is a food flavouring prepared from essential oils.  

According to market analysis firm Market Research Intellect, the cocoa flavour market was worth $1.5 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase to $2.3 billion by 2033. DSM-Firmenich is not the only player looking to capture a slice of the chocolate pie. 

Prova, is a French company that also specialises in vanilla, cocoa and coffee extraction for the food and beverage industry. Its cocoa enhancers are made by directly extracting the aromatic compounds from the agricultural raw material. The cocoa extracts can help to replace up to 30% of cocoa powder and remove certain undesirable properties of the original raw material.  

“It globally reinforces the overall cocoa taste and delivers the intense, authentic taste and aroma of chocolate ready to be used in bakery, dairy, or beverages applications, while improving some technical aspect linked to the use of too much cocoa powder, such as a sandy sensation in the mouth or the sedimentation in a beverage,” says Prova spokesperson Anais Kisasnodi. 

More than taste 

Substituting cocoa is about more than just finding an alternative that mimics its flavour. Texture plays an important role in consumer acceptance too, according to American firm Ardent Mills which has come up with a cocoa substitute called Cocoa Replace made from wheat. Its unique selling point is its ability to hold more moisture than cocoa powder. This helped it win more acceptance when it came to the texture of the final product.  

“Results from both sensory screening trials by highly trained sensory experts and from consumers demonstrated that Cocoa Replace closely matches cocoa powder in sensory experience and acceptability, making it a viable alternative to cocoa in baking applications up to 25%,” states the company website.  

Combatting the side-effects – like dryness – of substituting cocoa with other alternatives has also created a demand for a new class of additives, such as Citri-Fi. These are  made from citrus fibre obtained as a byproduct of the citrus juicing process. The unique properties of this natural upcycled fibre can be used to improve the quality of cocoa-reduced food products such as baked goods and frozen or refrigerated desserts. 

“Since Citri-Fi binds water and oil at low usage levels, it can be used alongside these other cocoa-reducing ingredients to improve the moisture retention of bakery items. As a result, bakery items maintain their freshness over time on the shelf,” says Jennifer Stephens, vice-president of marketing of US-based parent company Fiberstar.  

Food companies only need to use less than 1% to see the benefits in bakery items. Fiberstar is also counting on the natural origins of Citri-Fi to win over skeptical buyers and consumers.  

“Labelling options include citrus fibre, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the natural markets,” says Stephens.  

Using more to save more 

While these cocoa extracts and extenders can be incorporated into a variety of confectionery and baked goods to impart a chocolate flavour, they cannot be used in the manufacture of chocolate itself. The International Food Standards (Codex Alimentarius) for chocolate and chocolate products has fixed the minimum amount of certain ingredients like cocoa and cocoa butter. In addition, only those flavourings that do not imitate chocolate or milk flavours are permitted. This presents a problem for big food manufacturers like Nestlé that sources about 430,000 tonnes of cocoa a year for brands like KitKat.  

A cost-cutting solution could be on the way. In August, the company announced that it had devised a novel technique that uses 30% more of the cocoa fruit to produce chocolate. Instead of only using the cocoa beans, every bit of the fruit inside the pod is collected as one wet mass and allowed to ferment naturally. This mass is then ground, roasted and dried into chocolate flakes which can be used to make chocolate.  

The patented technique could help Nestlé reduce its procurement of cocoa beans, but it’s too early to estimate how much savings this would add up to according to the company. Work is still at the pilot stage.  

“We’ve done preliminary calculations, but we don’t have a figure that we could communicate on the manufacturing scale,” says a spokesperson for the company. 

Consumer acceptance 

Until Nestlé translates its breakthrough into actual cocoa savings, companies must look elsewhere to cut costs without putting consumers off the product. One tactic is to use familiar, natural ingredients that already have a high level of acceptance. ChoViva is a cocoa-free chocolate alternative developed by start-up company Planet A Foods. Although it offers a taste comparable to traditional chocolate, it is made from oats sourced in Germany and sunflower seeds from Europe.  

REWE, which operates 6,000 stores in Germany, was the first European retailer to replace cocoa with ChoViva in its own brand products. It saw no drop in demand even though it was transparent about skimping on cocoa. 

“We communicate the use of ChoViva transparently for each relevant product: the ChoViva logo is clearly visible on the packaging, and the full list of ingredients is provided as usual,” says Johanna Freimuth, a spokesperson for the REWE Group. “These cocoa-free products have been well received by our customers and represent a sustainable and appealing addition to our product range.” 

It is not just startups that see the potential in replacing cocoa with other natural ingredients. Commodities giant Cargill has also adopted this strategy with its cocoa replacement Nextcoa made from grape and sunflower seed derivatives. According to Cargill’s own research, these ingredients now rank among the top five most positively perceived plant-based alternatives to chocolate. 

“We support our customers in their responsibility to create clear, regulatory-compliant labels that also drive purchase intent. For NextCoa we encourage highlighting plant-based, no nuts, or planet-friendly positioning, which today’s consumers are actively seeking,” says Philippe Bernay, Indulgence Commercial Marketing Director at Cargill. 

Cargill is already offering NextCoa at scale to food companies in both Europe and North America. Cargill has also recently expanded its Deventer facility in the Netherlands with a €35 million (CHF32.7 million) investment to double production capacity and support increased demand for cocoa alternatives. 

“We see this as a strategic growth area — not a niche experiment,” says Bernay. 

Edited by Virginie Mangin/gw