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Cocoa Alternatives for the Future

IngredientsProcessingSustainability

INTRODUCTION

The Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. We serve the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate. We are committed to make sustainable chocolate the norm to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods.

Background

As demand for chocolate continues to grow, so does the need for more sustainable and resilient ingredient solutions. While cocoa remains at the heart of chocolate’s identity, factors such as changing climate conditions, land use pressures, and evolving consumer expectations are prompting the industry to explore new possibilities.

We are exploring the potential of cocoa alternatives that can meet growing demand, reduce environmental impact, and unlock new value chains.

The goal of this challenge is to identify and validate novel ingredients and/or transformative processing methods that can deliver a chocolate-like experience, focusing on flavour, sensory performance, sustainability, and affordability.


We are interested in:

  • Ingredient innovations that do not rely on traditional cocoa farming, including non-farm cocoa
  • Transformative processes (for example, fermentation, roasting, and enzymatic treatment) that develop chocolate-like flavour and aroma, and show strong potential for scaling, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory alignment
  • Solutions with a lower environmental footprint, including reduced carbon emissions and land use
  • Formulations that demonstrate acceptable flavour, texture, and sensory experience aligned with consumer expectations

Your solution should move beyond conventional cocoa sources and open up new pathways for future chocolate innovation. Well-known and previously evaluated alternatives, such as carob, that have not met flavour or sensory expectations will not be considered; likewise for ingredients or processes that cannot realistically scale or align with food industry standards.

How might we develop affordable, sustainable, and scalable cocoa alternatives that deliver the flavour, aroma, and sensory experience of chocolate?

requirements and considerations

We are seeking to collaborate with innovators who can demonstrate a solution that meets the following criteria:

Product Performance: 
  • Delivers a flavour profile that closely matches cocoa, including aroma and sensory complexity, to be suitable for chocolate applications
  • Must be easily incorporated into chocolate formulations, behaving similarly to cocoa ingredients in terms of taste, texture, and blending behaviour
Processing and Manufacturing: 
  • Must be physically stable and manageable during processing, with appropriate moisture levels and texture that do not disrupt existing manufacturing workflows
  • Must withstand processing temperatures of at least 110°C without significant changes to structure, texture, or flavour
  • Must be compatible with existing industrial chocolate manufacturing processes, minimising the need for major adjustments or additional equipment
Technology Readiness and Safety Control: 
  • At least Technology Readiness (TRL) Level 4, i.e. demonstrated Minimum Viable Product (MVP) tested in lab-scale chocolate prototypes
  • The ingredient must meet an acceptable microbiological load for food safety and compliance
  • The sample must be produced in an allergen-free facility, with particular emphasis on being 100% peanut-free
Note: If the startup’s product is peanut-free, it may be eligible for testing at Barry Callebaut’s facility in Belgium. Additionally, if the startup already holds a food safety certification recognised by Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), it may be able to access Barry Callebaut’s other pilot lines, including one in Singapore.

Incentives

Barry Callebaut is open to offering a monetary award – up to CHF50,000  (approximately S$80,000)  – based on reaching milestones, testing materials in our pilot and analytical labs, and providing feedback. Other types of investment could be discussed during the future collaboration.
Enterprise Singapore is augmenting this support with a S$20,000 Proof of Concept (POC) development grant for eligible startups/SMEs. Foreign startups/SMEs may be considered if developmental activities are based in Singapore and only if a Singapore office is incorporated. The POC Development grant could also be awarded to startups/SMEs incorporated in Singapore for projects with overseas pilot deployment potential. 

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