Herza debuts organic chocolate pieces, taps into hemp and protein trends

22 Jan 2020 --- Herza Schokolade is launching 20 organic chocolate creations, developed to“bring a whole new excitement to muesli, snack mixes and ice cream.” In addition to the three on-trend varieties of caramel, cheesecake and coffee, the company is also tapping into the trend for protein-rich chocolate and hemp ingredients.

According to Antje Wetzel, Head of Product Development at Herza, the biggest trends in chocolate are organic, sustainability and sugar reduction. Another major theme is chocolate that has added health value like protein, minerals and vitamins. “We offer new products based on current market trends, giving our customers the opportunity to use these new chocolate inclusions for their creative products,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Product ranges are becoming more extensive, adds Wetzel. “Therefore, our clients want to differentiate from competitors with new, innovative products. Regarding chocolate inclusions, this differentiation can happen through optically unusual shapes, new trendy flavors or colors. Especially in summer, fresh flavors in combinations with appealing colors based on natural ingredients are very popular,” she explains. 

Caramel in many facets
Caramel is one of today’s top flavors in many product categories and Herza is addressing this trend with its organic caramel product range. This includes Simply Caramel organic milk chocolate with creamy-milky caramel flavor, and Toffee Crunch milk chocolate chunks with coconut sugar and crunchy organic caramel pieces. The high cocoa butter content gives both a creamy mouthfeel. 

Trendsetting cheesecake 
Whether in cake, pralines, yogurt, ice cream or cereals, cheesecake flavor is featured in an increasing number of categories. Herza’s white chocolate organic cheesecake range can be used for attractive new product ideas, the company notes. For example, the Simply Cheesecake leaves with yogurt and lemon oil provide fresh, fruity indulgence. The Strawberry Cheesecake double leaves are a visual and flavor highlight. They consist of two different layers of white chocolate, one refined with yogurt and lemon oil, the other with yogurt and strawberry powder. 

Coffee shop specialties as chocolate pieces
Coffee and chocolate are a popular combination, with Herza presenting favorite coffee shop classics in a new line of organic chocolate pieces. The Café Latte white and dark chocolate marbled squares contain mocha powder for a milky coffee flavor. The Latte Macchiato double chips feature organic mocha chocolate covered in white chocolate for a two-color look. The new Caramel Macchiato double leaves are inspired by the coffee drink of the same name, but instead of frothed milk they have a layer of white caramel chocolate on dark mocha chocolate. The Frappé erythritol chocolate chunks with organic mocha paste offer sugar-reduced enjoyment. The erythritol sweetener gives these white chocolate pieces a cooling effect, almost like iced coffee. The Espresso chopped organic dark milk chocolate bits, by contrast, feature 70 percent cocoa content for a robust note, and are enriched with crunchy chopped coffee beans for a unique flavor experience. 

Organic chocolate standouts
Among the standouts of the new lineup are Herza’s organic chocolate leaves enriched with at least 20 percent organic milk protein, which are ideal for giving fitness mueslis or snacks attractive added value. There are also irregular chopped organic semisweet 70 percent cocoa chocolate chips with brisk organic raspberry pieces that are a great fit for exclusive product ideas. The 65 percent cocoa semi sweet chunks with 10 percent hemp seeds are naturally organic and sweetened with coconut sugar. 

The new lineup from Herza will be launched at Biofach next month. 

By Elizabeth Green