Barry Callebaut Awarded for Sustainable Cocoa Ingredient
The Terra Cacao process produces zero defect beans and avoids off flavors, resulting in a 100% purest in its kind cocoa beans as ingredient for superior chocolate, with an unprecedented harmony of pure tastes and rich aromas.
Nov 30 2011 --- A leading panel of industry experts announced this evening Barry Callebaut's Terra Cacao chocolate as the winner of the FI Confectionery Innovation of the Year Excellence Award and subsequently the overall award of Most Innovative Food Ingredient. This award recognizes individuals and businesses for their exemplary work and contribution to the industry.
"We are thrilled to win this award", says Sofie De Lathouwer, Marketing Director Food Manufacturers Products Region Europe with Barry Callebaut. "Winning this award showcases how innovation is at the core of our company. The recognition certainly strengthens us to keep on searching for ways to improve the cocoa cultivation, fermentation methods and cocoa quality, thus improving our chocolate, every day again and again."
Terra Cacao was originally launched in February 2011 and relies on new cocoa cultivation and fermentation methods developed by Barry Callebaut in collaboration with local cocoa growers. This process produces zero defect beans and avoids off flavors, resulting in a 100% purest in its kind cocoa beans as ingredient for superior chocolate, with an unprecedented harmony of pure tastes and rich aromas.
For Terra Cacao, Barry Callebaut searches for plantations on flavor-enhancing terroirs in equatorial regions. The cocoa beans are then handpicked only at the precise moment when they contain a maximum of flavors and aromas. The cocoa is then fermented with the company's 100% natural method that respects and enhances even the most delicate flavors and aromas. Afterwards, the beans are roasted in their shells until they release all of their inherent flavors. And finally, the chocolate is conched, fully preserving the right texture, aroma, taste and flavors.
"This award is the reward for years of painstaking research. Terra Cacao started with a study at the University but quickly became an interesting and passionate challenge until Barry Callebaut reached its goal: a cocoa of an unseen top quality, cultivated in a sustainable way and thus resulting in a superior-tasting chocolate", says Nicholas Camu, Fermentation Innovation Manager at Barry Callebaut. "Winning this award shows that not only our customers appreciate the outcome of the project, but also a jury of industry experts and specialists."
The Terra Cacao range covers several milk and dark chocolate references varying from 33.5% to 70.5% cocoa mass. The line, shaped as callets, is packed in 10 kg bags and will be available to industrial customers worldwide.
The Fi Excellence Awards winners were:
The Most Innovative Food Ingredient Award: Barry Callebaut – Terra Cacao
Bakery Innovation of the Year
• Muntons – Maltichoc – to be used as a partial cocoa powder and chocolate replacer in baked goods.
Dairy Innovation of the Year
• Chr. Hansen A/S – Red Strawberry Fragaria 100 WS – The new patent pending carmine has superior process stability enabling a decrease of pigment concentration by 10 – 20% compared to standard carmine.
Beverage Innovation of the Year
• National Starch Food Innovation – Purity Gum- a unique emulsion stabilizing starch derived from waxy maize.
Savoury/Meat Innovation of the Year
• Purac - PuraQ Arome NA4 – a breakthrough in clean label, natural solutions for sodium reduction in food.
Confectionery Innovation of the Year
• Barry Callebaut – Terra Cacao – This revolutionary, all-natural, controlled fermentation technique method consistently produces top-quality cocoa with zero defects or off-flavors.
Snacks/On-The-Go Innovation of the Year
• Lyckeby Culinar AB – Culinar Include - an innovation especially designed to bring 100 % natural colours and flavours to breakfast cereals and muesli.
