05 Sep 2017 --- Leading manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate, Barry Callebaut, has today launched a fourth type of chocolate – Ruby chocolate. Next to dark, milk and white chocolate, and 80 years after the introduction of white chocolate, Barry Callebaut revealed its newest innovation in Shanghai, China. Ruby chocolate is made from the Ruby cocoa bean and through unique processing Barry Callebaut has unlocked the fruity flavor and vibrant color of Ruby, naturally present in the cocoa bean itself. 

According to research performed by consumer agency Haystack, Ruby chocolate meets consumer needs in a way no chocolate has ever done before.

This fourth type of chocolate offers a totally new taste experience, Barry Callebaut reports. Ruby chocolate has an intense taste and characteristic reddish color. The ruby bean is unique because the fresh berry fruitiness and color are naturally present.

Click to EnlargeThe cocoa beans can be found in many different regions of the world. The bean has a specific set of attributes, which Barry Callebaut has managed to unlock through an innovative process that took several years to develop. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst at the launch, Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Barry Callebaut, says: “Shanghai is ideal for the launch of a new global product; it is a vibrant city with a lot to offer. [...] No other city was a better fit for something that is a truly innovative launch. We are passionate about taste and quality, we are always looking for new ways to help our customers excite the final consumers – this is how Ruby chocolate came about.” You can view to the full interview with de Saint-Affrique here. 

According to de Saint Affrique, this new chocolate is on target for the Asian and Chinese markets, in particular. 

“It speaks to youngsters, red is an important color in Asian cultures, but it also has a broad appeal,” he states. “Taste preferences differ all over the world. Ruby chocolate has a mainstream chocolate taste but with the added dimension of fruity flavors. China is only at the start of the chocolate journey; symbolic exploring and discovery trail, there’s still a lot more that can be done.”
 
“Chinese tastes are different to what you find in Japan or England, consumers are looking for the right balance between sweet and sour, which Ruby chocolate has, [making] it very appealing for those palettes and markets.” 

The new type of chocolate offers a totally new taste experience, which is not bitter, milky or sweet, but a tension between fruitiness and smoothness. To create Ruby chocolate no berry flavors or colors are added. 

Peter Boone, Barry Callebaut’s Chief Innovation & Quality Officer, says: “Barry Callebaut has established itself as a pioneer and innovator in chocolate and cocoa, globally. Consumer research in very different markets confirms that Ruby chocolate not only satisfies a new customer need found among Millennials – Hedonistic Indulgence – but also high purchase intent at different price points. We’re looking forward to working with our new partners on introducing this innovative breakthrough to the market and making the new Ruby chocolate category available to chocolate manufacturers and consumers around the world as the fourth reference to dark, milk and white chocolate.”

Herwig Bernaert, Director of Global R&D at Barry Callebaut, says: “It’s one of most exciting days of the last few years for us and a turning point for Barry Callebaut. We have been working for a very long time to develop this chocolate (more than 10 years), so we are very excited to finally launch this innovation.” 

Click to Enlarge

Herwig Bernaert, Director of Global R&D at Barry Callebaut

“The bean we use you can find everywhere and anywhere, that’s what makes Ruby chocolate so exciting and innovative because it is already here on the planet. At the time we didn’t know what to do with it, like many innovations, but a few years ago we started to work on it and it came together in the perfect way,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“The market is fully ready for this one – millennials are looking for something new and exciting, this chocolate fits the needs of the target audience,” Bernaert says, “If you look at innovation in chocolate, the biggest event was 80 years ago with white chocolate, this time we have it, it’s the right time to share, and so we came up with Ruby chocolate.”

“Inside the bean, there are more than twenty-thousand components. We have to look at the various components to see which had the potential of developing a new chocolate color and taste. You can find the components in every cocoa bean but by going through the right process you can unlock this new reddish color in combination with the very nice fruity taste.” 

The taste is giving chefs many new opportunities in flavor combinations. “Food pairing with Ruby chocolate really works well. It’s not limited to one flavor in chocolate; it’s a whole area of chocolate that we have today but even more because of the taste. The fruity acidic flavor is giving chefs new opportunities to play with this amazing chocolate,” adds Bernaert. 

De Saint-Affrique adds: “Ruby chocolate is a long-term commitment for Barry Callebaut and it will be around hopefully in 80 years from now.” 

Click to EnlargeYou can listen to a podcast from the event with Antoine de Saint-Affrique, Herwig Bernaert and Bas Smit, Head of Global Marketing at Barry Callebaut here. 

It is expected that Ruby, like dark, milk and white chocolate will be introduced in many product categories, doing particularly well in confectionery and desserts. 

The invention of Ruby chocolate is the work of global R&D centers of Barry Callebaut, in France and Belgium and the Jacobs University as well as over 175 years of expertise in sourcing and manufacturing. 

By Elizabeth Green in Shanghai

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