Ganeden Biotech and Agostoni Chocolate Announce Private Label Probiotic Chocolates

Innovative private label chocolate program gives store brand managers functional snack offer that hits on two hot consumer categories, probiotics and premium chocolate.

Aug 26 2010 --- Ganeden Biotech, Inc., maker of the patented probiotic strain GanedenBC30, and Agostoni Chocolate, an Italian farm-to-bar producer of all natural premium chocolates, announced Chocolate Plus Private Label, the first store brand functional snack program to bring together GanedenBC30 probiotic with an award-winning premium Italian dark chocolate. 

Designed to fit into retailer's confectionary and wellness supplement categories, the Chocolate Plus Private Label program offers a mix-and-match approach for product feature and pricing flexibility.  Retailers start with the popular health benefits of Agostoni's premium Italian dark chocolate 70 percent for a high cocoa content or 60 percent for a softer flavor profile and can opt to sell the chocolate with the GanedenBC30 probiotic alone, or offer a chocolate bar that includes GanedenBC30 probiotic plus toasted flax seed, which contributes additional Omega oils. 

Beyond choices in flavor and ingredients, the Chocolate Plus Private Label program gives retailers the option of two chocolate bar sizes: either a bite-sized 0.5 ounce mini-bar or a 1.1 ounce snack bar format.

"Consumers are increasingly demanding both premium quality chocolate and the health benefits inherent to probiotics," said Andrew Lefkowitz, president and CEO of Ganeden Biotech.  "Since this product is the best of both worlds, retailers can position it as an affordable luxury."

Dr. Antonio Agostoni head of the chocolate maker's product development team reports that GanedenBC30 delivered "excellent results in survivability of the bacteria for health purposes and it does not interfere with our final premium flavor, making it an ideal functional chocolate solution."