Better-for-you chocolate insights: Exploring functional ingredients and healthier reformulations

10 Mar 2022 --- A roundtable of food industry experts from Innova Market Insights, The Almond Board of California and chocolate brand Compartés, are showcasing new insights on how manufacturers can answer the call for "better-for-you" chocolate products without compromising taste and texture.

Chocolate category and consumer data presented by the panel indicate multiple ways “better-for-you” formulations are leading to compelling product claims.

In their upcoming webinar hosted on FoodIngredientsFirst on March 17, attendees can view examples of new product development and inspirational recipe concepts that demonstrate how to stay at the cutting edge of the confectionery category.

According to Innova Market Insights, rice syrup is pegged as the fastest-growing ingredient in the chocolate category.

Functionality at the front
Innova Market Insights identifies that while consumers still want to eat indulgent sweet treats, they also demand that these offerings be significantly healthier.

Over the last year, NPD expanded to encompass offerings with nutritionally dense ingredients. One example of this is Miskets Dark Chocolate Chickpea Snacks, which is a dark chocolate product coated in roasted chickpeas. Chickpeas have been gaining traction on the market for some time as a plant-based ingredient high in fiber and protein.

According to Innova Market Insights, rice syrup is pegged as the fastest-growing ingredient in the chocolate category, which grew by 39% among global launches tracked between 2017 to 2021. This ingredient was closely followed by date (38%), whey permeate (35%), erythritol (33%) and radish (31%). 

Food innovators continue to raise the functional factor in chocolate through ingredient development and enhancing processing methods. Last month, a Penn State study discovered that bitter and astringent flavors in low-sugar cocoa confections can be manipulated by roasting cacao beans for longer and at higher temperatures.

Health halo brightens
The research highlights that health claims applied in chocolate confectionery are in abundance, including mainstay positionings like “low sugar” and new ones such as “prebiotic.”

Notable examples of this include Nature's Own Factory Prebiotic Buckwheat Chocolate with Peanuts, which boasts the added benefit of elevating gut health by inducing the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms such as good bacteria.

Plant-based indulgence continues to stretch across confectionery, influencing new takes on better-for-you chocolate.Harvest Box Almond Dipped in Dark Chocolate is one among many products that upholds the classic promotion of dark chocolate’s benefits, while featuring prominent high protein, high fiber and low sugar claims on-pack.

Meanwhile, Noshu Low Carb Indulgence Bar: Cherry and Coconut hops on the low-carbohydrate trend as a tartly flavored chocolate-enrobed shredded coconut treat.

Plant-based packs a punch
Innova Market Insights underscores that plant-based indulgence continues to stretch across confectionery, influencing new takes on better-for-you chocolate. Highlighted as an emergent theme not too long ago, this trend has since been headlined by many heavyweight brands, such as Nestlé, which released a new plant-based iteration of KitKat, KitKat V.

Earlier this year, Cargill targeted Europe’s growing flexitarian appetite with a new range of vegan chocolate and couverture chocolates. Chocolate ExtraVeganZa is positioned to deliver a “truly indulgent sensorial experience,” using the plant-based “power ingredients” sunflower kernel powder, rice syrup and organic rice syrup. 

Research by chocolate titan Barry Callebaut recently revealed that 60% of consumers now expect plant-based options, with Millennials and Gen Zers, aged 18 to 44, are actively going in search of these foods.

Barry Callebaut recently unveiled a dairy-free and plant-based chocolate solution for the sweet snacking category, Dairy-Free Compounds, which are made in fully segregated production facilities that do not handle dairy.

For a deeper look at the latest industry trends set to raise the bar on health-positioned chocolate confectionery, readers may register for the upcoming webinar here.

By Benjamin Ferrer