How to create texture delight in every bite: Elevate your chocolate confectionery with truly on-trend fillings
20 Jun 2024 | Cargill
Today’s chocolate confectionery consumers are seeking out new sensory experiences that deliver texture as well as flavor. They want their chocolate bars to have that initial crack or snap, but also melt in the mouth directly afterwards. It means huge potential for brands that can successfully elevate their chocolate confectionery with on-trend fillings. Watch this webinar and join Cargill’s Food Solutions experts on a journey beyond taste and discover how to meet the needs of today’s discerning chocolate confectionery consumers together.
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Good morning everyone and welcome to this webinar entitled How to Create Texture delight in Every Bite.
We're looking forward to a very interesting session that outlines how to elevate your chocolate confectiony product with truly on trend and insights-driven fillings.
Today we're going to take you inside the chocolate confectiony market and the consumer demand for texture.
You're going to hear from Anne Mertens, who is category director chocolate confectory and ice cream, and with her passion for leading in strategy and innovation, Anne is currently heading the organization in developing solutions for our customers within the indulgence space, which includes the chocolate confectory and ice cream categories.
To offer further market perspectives, we're going to be joined by Mara Linara, who is marketing manager of Chocolate confectiony and Ice Cream.
Mara leads all marketing initiatives for the chocolate confectory and ice cream categories within Cargill's Food Solutions EMEA team.
As part of her responsibilities, she also supports customers with dedicated insight sessions on insights and innovations.
The second part of our webinar is going to take you inside consumer insights and our capabilities in action.
Here will outline how you can benefit from sensory and technical expertise to create indulgent success stories.
For this section, you'll hear from Clemence Leotard, who is sensory consumer experience designer for indulgence.
Clemence is responsible for generating proactively technical consumer insights and supports strategic projects.
She will introduce a recent consumer evaluation in the EMEA region that we conducted into different chocolate types.
Clements will be joined by Yves Kehlas, who is senior applications specialist in chocolate confectionery with a focus on fats and oils and confectiony applications.
In line with the insights that Clement shared, Eaves worked on the development of a range of prototypes within indulgent flavors and textures that show our capabilities in action.
Several of these truly delightful concepts will be outlined in detail.
Then, for the final, final section, Anne will explain how we can meet, help you meet today's trends with our deep knowledge of ingredients, solutions, and capabilities.
If you have any questions for any of our speakers, please enter them into the chat box and we're going to try to get through as many of them as possible.
But now it's time to get started.
So over to you, Anne and Tamara, with a look at the chocolate confectiony marketplace.
Thank you indeed, and I'm happy to be here and I'm sure you're wondering why we've done all this research.
We believe that each innovation starts with the consumer and by understanding their needs, drivers, and intentions better, we can create the most indulgent solutions for them.
We do this in collaboration with our customers and enable them to differentiate their products in the chocolate confectionary market.
Now, let's have a look at these insights.
So today's chocolate confectionery consumers are seeking out new sensory experiences delivery in texture as as flavor.
They want their chocolate bars to have that initial crack or snap, but also melt in the mouth directly afterwards and other sensory experiences.
This means huge potential for brands that can successfully elevate their chocolate confectionery with on-trend fillings.
So let's join Cargill's food solution experts on a journey.
And delight our chocolate confectionery consumers together.
We'll start by discovering about today's chocolate confectionery consumers and get great insights on texture.
Then we'll showcase our sensory and technical expertise to create indulgent success.
And last but not least, we'll demonstrate how we can help you meet today's trends with our deep knowledge of ingredients and our capabilities to build your next innovative products.
But let's start by learning about our consumers.
Thanks, Anne.
Let's indeed learn more about the market and our consumers.
So texture, we know that it is the 2nd most important product characteristic next to flavor.
How do we leverage this and make sure that we capitalize on this particular, consumer demand?
So consumers' experiences can be elevated through engaging senses with new textures.
We see in Europe that half the consumers we tested say that they like unusual textures.
We see a very noticeable increase of this in the last two years where it increased by 8 points.
And also amongst these consumers, we know that 73% of them do this because they like to experiment with their food and drinks.
So there is a lot of potential for us to look into when it comes to building or bringing new textures to our consumers.
So today's consumers are seeking out new sensory experiences, of course, that can be delivered through texture as as in flavor.
We did a study back in 2023 and we saw a top five trends amongst texture, and we see here first being obvious inclusions.
This is where we see a lot of products bringing in all kinds of crunchy, chunky, and thick, thick multi-sensory experiences in the product.
Here in this trend, we saw that bigger and highly more visible, the better.
A lot of enjoyable, , products, we've seen in this space.
In contrast, the second trend we saw is more light and airy.
So I think this is more brought by the fact that costs and calorie reduction is a big trend as amongst the consumers.
So amongst products we see more use of wafers or aerated mousses, maybe even marshmallow to help play with textures, and this goes along with the permissible indulgence kind of trend we see amongst consumers where it allows them the enjoyment without as much guilt.
Next, we saw a lot of soft centers when it comes to products.
This is where you experience such oozy, molten middles that come up as they take that indulgent moment in their first bite, and it really does bring such a satisfying contrast in their texture.
Then something offering a more sensory or more enjoyable experience and a sense of nostalgia is jam and jelly.
Here we see products that bring in a little bit more chewy or fruitier kind of inclusion in their products.
Not very new.
However, the experimentation and the kinds of chewy and jelly textures is very exciting to see.
And last is layers.
So this really allows all kinds of playfulness and flavors and textures so that we can show all kinds of combinations possible in this trend.
So we wanted to understand more about what consumers love in their chocolate products and why don't we hear a little bit from them next.
Creamy texture for chocolate.
Just seemed really like appealing to me.
So I just like one extra.
I like like nougat and stuff like that, like soft, chewy.
40 crocantiedendro morbidem.
In terms of texture, I prefer a sort of milkier texture, and wafer and chocolate, they go so good together.
Crispy.
So it was so much fun to hear them talk about and describe the kind of textures that they prefer, but let's see what we actually discovered.
So first, as we know consumers want their chocolate to have a very strong snap or initial crack that they hear when they take a bite in their chocolate, but right after they prefer their chocolate to melt directly in their mouth.
Aside from this, we also checked what kind of textures or mouthfeel they like in their chocolate products, and amongst the top three characteristics, we know that first of all, they like it melting, so 54% of consumers prefer this melting texture, followed by a very creamy, nice smooth feeling in their mouth.
And, and yes, sorry, the third is a very nice smooth feeling.
So this is broadly the overall texture preferences amongst the consumers, but interestingly, we also found that the younger generations are actually more drawn to different or interesting textures not mentioned yet.
So consumers under 35.
Score higher when it comes to textures that are more soft, crunchy, silky, and this shows that they do have a little bit more experimentation when they taste and text, choose textures in their chocolate products.
Now taking a deeper look at these consumers, we observed that this Gen Z and Y actually want different things from chocolate confectionery compared to their older colleagues or friends.
First off being they seek out more value in texture compared to older generations.
They also rate the experience over the actual composition of a product more important.
Third is, of course, a lot of trend in the market now.
People prefer convenience and snacking, so there's a lot more growth coming from smaller packaging and chocolate confectionery.
Fourth, they choose foods more consciously, and this is related to more sustainability trends around the food industry.
And the last is their approach to health and portion control and function is actually growing in terms of the innovations that we see.
Why is it so important?
We see that they also are more frequent consumers, so 62% of them buy more products for themselves and more frequently than others.
So lots of potential here.
We see so much more room that we could experiment and play, so.
We are on a journey to explore more, texture in, in, in the realm of chocolate confectionery, and we would love to take our consumers to higher sensory, experiences.
So with that, I'd like to hand over to the next section where we see these insights in action with some actual products.
Thank you, Mara.
I wanted to share with you some background information before we get into the insights and to the prototype.
At Cargill, we started a global program a couple of years ago that looks at unpacking consumers' sensorial needs and preferences on market offerings for different categories.
An example is last year where we conducted product evaluations with consumers in Europe.
For example, we tested dark, milk, caramel, and vegan chocolates.
We conducted studies in different countries like France, Germany and UK with more than 3000 consumers, for which consumers were recruited following specific screening criteria.
From the studies today, I would like to share some highlights with you.
One of them is that 47% of consumers are purchasing chocolate due to specific texture preference.
Some textures are also evoking strong emotions or associations.
An example can be the smooth texture, which is associated by consumers with words like modern, happy, while awaking childhood memories in chocolates.
For each category which we tested, we were able to identify consumer segments, all looking for a unique sensorial experience answering different liking patterns.
A clear example comes from our Caramel caramelw research circulate where we identified 4 different segments of consumers.
Each looking for a unique caramel experience.
From consumers wanting a bold caramel experience to a mild and dairy up to the honey roasted lover's type, we did identify different patterns in the population.
To illustrate this, let's go to the next slide where we have leveraged this insight to create the first prototype that we want to showcase to you today.
So this is a mini gold bar of richness.
This bar was designed to respond to the market trends and needs of indulgence, layers, and snacking.
But before having Eve detailing the layers, let's first focus on the outside layer.
This outside layer is coming from our caramel white chocolate range.
When tested with consumers, this chocolate was highly associated with nostalgic memories, comforting feelings.
Our expert panel described it as being a balanced caramel flavor with roasted and honey note.
The texture being rather hard, it contrasts very nicely with the inner layer.
Yes, in this chocolates.
The filling inside is aerated and caramel flavor, and it is smooth, soft, and fluffy.
To prepare this filling, we use the filling fat from the Cream of Flex A subrange, where A stands for aerated.
In this filling, we included crunchy brownie inclusions with small pieces of dark chocolate, and to add on top, there is a little bit of hard coffee and cocoa flavored filling that will melt slowly.
So if you break the bar, imagine you bite it.
You have a first contract with the chocolate and the soft filling, so the texture are very different.
Then you have also the crunch from the brownie inclusion, and finally, you have the coffee flavor that is coming on top.
So we have here a nice combination of different textures and also the different flavors of caramel, dark chocolate, and coffee that combine very together.
Now introducing the next prototype, which is a gelateria experience without the ice cream.
Yes, you heard it correctly.
This is not an ice cream.
If we'll discuss a bit more in details when introducing the full concept, what is this prototype about?
But first, I wanted to give you a bit of a background why we designed this prototype.
It is to respond to the needs of intelligence, soft-center, experience, and snacking, trends.
The snappy, dark chocolate on the outside is best suited for consumers looking for roasted notes combined with a hard texture.
From this group, we identified that 62% are in the age group of 18 to 34 years old.
This chococolate was described by consumers as the perfect treat for oneself and also associated with words like modern and imaginative.
Our expert panel described it as a perfect balance of cocoa and sweetness, elevated with roasted notes and hints of vanilla and caramel.
It pairs very nicely with the inner layer filling and the crispy pears caramel.
So we have here a product that looks like an ice cream, but it's not an ice cream.
It is really stable at room temperature.
So when you give a first bite in the product, you have a thin layer of dark chocolate that snaps, and under it you have a light aerated filling with vanilla flavor.
So this filling is also made with a cream of flakes A filling fat that ensures the soft and fluffy texture, and also that's important, the stability of the filling.
It stays aerated during time.
There are also some crunchy, crispy pearls that bring some crunchiness on the top.
On a second bite, you have the crunchiness of the wafer cone, and inside it you find a smooth and oozing hazelnut filling that is very rich in taste.
And again we have here a prototype that where you find different textures and different tastes that combines very together.
And last but not least, Clemence will take us through the last prototype.
Thank you, Yves.
Yes, as I just mentioned, let's move to our next prototype and the 3rd 1.
This is pretzel, pecan and chocolate perfection.
This prototype was designed to support the motifs of indulgence, smooth, silky, and big decorations as you can see from the very nice picture.
Zooming into the outside layer of the milk chocolate, here are some key facts about this chocolate.
From our consumer research, we identified that 47% of milk chocolate consumers are purchasing chocolate due to specific texture preference.
This prototype was designed with a milk chocolate delivering a smooth experience based from mealtime moment and associated with words like high quality and indulgence by consumers.
Our expert panel talked about this product as being a -balanced milk chocolate with lots of cocoa and fresh milk, hints of caramel with a smooth and creamy texture experience.
Now, Yves, can you please share the full details behind this very indulgent bar?
So yes, of course.
So you have here a nice chocolate milk chocolate bar with different squares that can be separated if you want a small treat, but of course you can have the wool bar if you feel so.
So on the top of the bar, you have chocolate drizzle and also some gingerbread pretzel pieces that bring some crunchiness.
Also, the sweet taste of the gingerbread combines perfectly with the salty taste of the pretzel.
Now, when you bite on the bar, you have a medium hard filling inside that melts slowly thanks to the Cream of Flex F filling fat that we used, and the pecan nut flavor comes in the mouth progressively because of the slow melting of the filling.
And finally, some pieces of gingerbread pretzel are in the filling hole and add also some crunchiness, and that is still another rich combination of texture and flavors.
Hm And it's still very good.
Right, so we have presented to you three of the prototypes that we developed the mini gold bar, the gelateria Experience, and the pretzel pecan and chocolate perfection.
We have also developed two other products.
The first one is the sphere of sweet surprise, which are colored white chocolate spheres filled with a blood orange filling and containing fizzy powders and popping candies that give a surprise when you eat them.
And finally, the extravaganza protein enriched bowls that contain a paste made of dried fruit and are covered with our vegan chocolates, also an example of different textures combined.
And if you're interested in knowing more about these prototypes don't hesitate to contact us or your Cargill representative.
So, after seeing these delicious examples of how textures can delight your consumers, we would like to show you how cargo food solutions can help you meet today's trends.
Whether you want to win with a creamy, cooling, oozing, snappy, crunchy, or smooth filling, Cargill's Food Solutions portfolio and expertise on texture will help you find the best solution to delight your customers.
We are your go to partner for innovation and growth in chocolate confectionery, but how do we do this?
So we work on textures at every development phase.
Our proprietary research enables us to be ahead of the curve in sensory and consumer science as as the technical and sustainable solutions on the underlying ingredients.
Our dedicated chocolate confectionery team brings Cargill's product expertise together in a holistic approach on texture and using our extensive portfolio of ingredients and solutions, we can develop your products faster and with more knowledge and creativity.
As cargo, we start with an unparalleled portfolio of ingredients.
Using our knowledge in sweeteners, texturizers and sugar replacers, vegetable proteins, and edible oils and fats and cocoa to develop the best solution for you.
Instead of buying single ingredients, we can also make your development easier by providing ingredient blends.
But also complete elements to build your innovative new products using our broad range of chocolates, fillings, decorations and inclusions to provide your consumers the most appealing chocolate confectionery with delightful texture solutions with a minimum effort from your part.
We would like to invite you to explore with us all possibilities for your confectionery products using our ingredients and blends to create the best texture experiences to win over your consumers.
From filling fat range and texturizing solutions to complete chocolate filling and inclusions, we'll be happy to develop these solutions with you.
That's it, so thank you.
Now I hand over to Robin, who's checking the questions coming in.
Thanks very much, Anne.
And now we're going to get to our Q&A.
So if you have any questions for any of our speakers, please enter them into the chat box.
And Mara, I'm going to start with you.
So you mentioned five key texture trends.
Which do you think is the most established and which do you think holds the most potential for growth going forward?
Hm, very good question, Robin.
I think also quite difficult to answer for certain because all these trends show very high potential for growth, but I think amongst them, perhaps obvious inclusions and layers could be seen as more established, not only because it's been happening for a while, but also because we continue to see innovation in the space.
I think because there's so much room for experimentation and there's really an unlimited amount of combinations you could go with this.
But the others, of course, are definitely also driving growth.
So we do have to watch out the space for all sorts of texture innovations to come.
Absolutely.
OK.
And maybe just going in, in addition to that, Mara, then, what question that came in here, what, what was really most surprising, did you find about what consumers told you in the research, because you obviously showed a video with some of these consumer responses to, to texture, etc.
What, what's, what surprised you about what they told you?
Hm, , while it wasn't really surprising to see that texture is very important to consumers, I found it very interesting how different the younger generations think when it comes to texture, and how much variety they like in their, in their products.
It's not anymore as simple as as long as it's delicious and it melts in your mouth as a treat.
So it was very interesting for me to hear them talk about the delight that they have in describing the kind of product experience that they go through or that they prefer because it all sounded so good.
It kind of makes you imagine what they're eating at that moment.
So that was most fun for me.
OK, very good indeed.
It makes, it makes a follow-up question though from my side, maybe just, why, why are younger consumers more drawn to the so-called novel or interesting textures than older generations anyway?
Hm, it could be that the, maybe because the younger generation nowadays are very much spoiled for choice.
They've really been exposed to digitalization or global globalization, for food and drink, at a very early age, definitely more than me.
So there's so many products and I guess innovations that they have available to them.
It sparked so much more curiosity and, such a big appetite for experimentation.
Not only do they like to explore or try new tastes and textures, but they are the ones that are seeking such multisensorial experiences in their food, and this is very much, I guess, driven by the fact that they like to share and enjoy it even on a larger platform like the digital world.
So it's very fun to see.
Thanks very much, Mara.
OK, Eaves, maybe a question here for you that, I think I'll take you to.
So, Eaves, which, which, which ingredients are proven to be particularly successful when it takes to, when it comes to taking confectionery to kind of new sensory levels, when it, particularly in the context of, you have these really innovative prototypes that you were displaying here?
Yeah.
Yeah, so here we have different products that we can use.
First, the feeding fats from the Crema Flex range that can be used to achieve very different textures, so that can go from hard filling to very soft and oozing feeling.
It can also go from fast melting with some cooling effects to long melting and creamy fillings, or even, as we have seen, aerated fillings.
Yeah, so very different textures of filling can be created there.
Secondly, all the inclusions that we used like the nut pieces, crunchy brownie pieces, chocolate covered, crunchy pearls, so all these types of inclusions can be used in different, in different examples.
There are also a lot of different possibilities that we have in the in the portfolio.
And finally, of course, the chocolates that we use, that we produce can bring all the richness and also the snapiness of the, the, the, the, into the product.
And of course what makes the difference, I think here is we need to combine all these different textures to bring to a special snacking experience in the final product.
Very, very interesting indeed.
And what, and what you're saying about combining these different textures together, layering is really something that you identified, Eaves, as, as quite a trend.
What do you need to bear in mind from a technical perspective when it comes to successfully formulating with layers, because that must be quite a challenge, I assume.
Yeah, indeed.
So what we need to do is to be sure that the textures we create are just staying the same during time.
That means, for example, that the aerated filling stays aerated during time and also at the storage temperature, typically room temperature.
Also, you don't want the chocolate layer to be, to be, to soften during time, so that of course you can achieve by tempering properly the products.
But also the filling in contact with the chocolate is very important in the sense that the fat that you use in the filling is very important.
It has to be able, if I can say so, to delay the migration of the and the blooming.
So definitely our fats from the Crimoflex range help on that.
Very good.
OK, Clemence, maybe a question, I'll, I'll, I'll come to you, a question that came in, highlighting that there's really a clear trend towards vegan chocolate.
When it comes to a vegan chicken, how, how can you satisfy consumers here from a, from a sensory perspective?
Interesting question.
Thank you.
As I mentioned in, in this webinar, you know, we, we conducted extended consumer research last year on different product categories but also on fig and chocolates, particularly in Nemea.
We tested around 20 products from the Emir market alongside with our car killer extra vegan such a great range.
And what I can say from this research is that, you cannot satisfy all consumers with one recipe.
Although, that being said, there is one consumer group which represents a majority.
It's about 60% of the market.
So that means 60% of the consumers have the same lacking patterns.
If you think about the different groups, we could identify that some are looking for more a milky type experience, so close to a milky chocolate.
Whilst others are really interested in exploring different sensorial dimensions like coconut or cereal notes being, could, yeah, that are replacers of, of current milk.
So this is really a research that enabled us to identify drivers of liking for the different consumer segments.
So this is a very interesting, topic, of course, and close to my heart, and I would be happy to share further insights in a dedicated session, of course.
Eaves, Eaves, I'll come to you.
You, you presented quite a few concepts.
What was the most challenge you want to produce and how did you overcome this challenge?
Yeah, so the challenge really comes from the combination of the different, the different parts, let's say.
So the fillings, the inclusions, the chocolate, the decoration, etc.
So in that perspective, the ambient ice cream prototype was very interesting, to say the least, to produce.
Absolutely, but then how, how can we help?
How can Cargill help customers upscale from this and really bring this, back to production levels?
How, how can we help upscale and really turn such a thing like an ice cream into an actual mainstream concept then?
Yes, so I, I think that we can help our customers by making really building blocks to assemble at a later stage to create the elaborated products.
So we can do one first building block, one, for example, a filling, then a second filling with, for example, an inclusion, and then we can work with the customer in making the production process easier.
For example, by selecting the most ideal fats to reach the viscosity that you want to have or to have the crystallization speeds that will fit the best on the production line, it's really around these things in discussion with the customers that we need to go.
Thank you very much, Eaves.
OK, I have time for a couple of last questions and I'm going to round off with you, Anne, if you don't mind.
So, Anne, what was, what does Cargill's innovation pipeline look like within the chocolate confectionery space and what can we expect to see in the months going forward?
Roman, there's so much going on.
I don't know where to start.
So we're working on various interesting solutions to fulfill the needs of our customers.
So, one example is a partnership we recently signed with Forage Foods around a completely new range of cocoa-free confectionery products with extremely low carbon footprint, land and water use.
And we're currently gearing up to bring that.
To market, but also closer to home maybe due to the availability challenges of cocoa, we're developing lower cost solutions through chocolate and compound blends and, you know, really blending the chocolates and compounds with, with specific claims, claims around chocolate and more luxurious lower cost coatings and fillings variations, among others also by working deeper on our vegetable fats and oils ranges.
Additionally, I'd like to say, yeah, we're working together with our gourmet team who, yeah, brings and, and, and really want to bring those gourmet range variations into the industrial customer space to bring more delightful variations to our customers.
And of course, the proprietary research we've been talking about before will keep bringing us new ideas, so there's never a dull moment in chocolate confectionery.
Absolutely, yeah, so, so much going on, and really, very on trend there, I think, particularly when it comes to the cost efficiency aspect of everything.
OK, and, and maybe a final question that came in here now.
So we, we noticed that there's a shift happening at cargo recently, including within the chocolate confectionery category, and there seems to be, yeah, more like a category-driven approach taking place.
What, what does that actually mean for cargo customers?
Yeah, absolutely.
Cargill, the Ocargill Organization has gone undergone a really massive change in the last year.
So in the past, we were really focused on sourcing to producing our ingredients, securing quality and supply and bringing a good portfolio in an efficient way to customers.
But we've uncovered that our customers really desire more and we have a really broad portfolio of offering where we can bring this to our customers as.
So we see a big need for a total solution offering where we're talking about, whether we're talking about a count lime bar, an intricate taste range of pralines or a vegan chocolate tablet.
Our customers are not looking for one ingredient but a full solution, which we can provide as Cargill as we explained before.
An example, yeah, which you've seen here is around the texture that we've shown in our webinar just now.
So using our expertise on ingredients, but also blends and complete components like molding chocolate, fillings and decorations, we provide the solutions tapping into texture, flavor, sustainability, cost effectiveness, all needs that our customers might have.
So really happy to bring that to our customers going forward.
Thanks, thanks very much, Anne.
And OK, that's, that's about all we have time for today.
So if we didn't get around to answering all your questions, our experts will be in touch with you soon to answer anything that we didn't get, manage to get around to in this session.
So with that, my thanks, to our speakers today, to Anne, to Mara, to Clemence, to Eaves, and, most importantly, thanks to you for watching.
So just to let you know that a recording of this session is going to be shared with you in the coming days.
If you go to our chocolate confectionery page, and you're going to see a link appear in the chat, you can fill in your details and you'll be contacted by our colleagues.
But with that, thanks again for joining us and have a wonderful rest of your day.
Category Director Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Sensory Consumer Experience Designer for Indulgence
Marketing Manager Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Anne Mertens Hoyng
Category Director Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Clemence Leotard
Sensory Consumer Experience Designer for Indulgence
Mara Llanera
Marketing Manager Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Robin Wyers
Marketing Communications Manager
Yves Kegelaers
Senior Application Specialist Chocolate Confectionery
Robin Wyers
Marketing Communications Manager
Yves Kegelaers
Senior Application Specialist Chocolate Confectionery
Anne Mertens Hoyng
Category Director Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Clemence Leotard
Sensory Consumer Experience Designer for Indulgence
Mara Llanera
Marketing Manager Chocolate Confectionery and Ice Cream
Robin Wyers
Marketing Communications Manager
Yves Kegelaers
Senior Application Specialist Chocolate Confectionery
