Cabosse Naturals - the global expert in cacaofruit - has started upcycling this largely undiscovered fruit by developing a new supply chain with a range of 100% pure cacaofruit ingredients.
The brand has unlocked a new food and drink category with its cacaofruit juice, pulp, concentrate and powder, which can be used in a variety of ways in food and drink manufacture.
Britain is a nation of chocolate lovers, but many of us do not realise that our favourite confectionery comes from the cacaofruit. Until now, around 70 per cent of the fruit is discarded once its beans have been harvested for chocolate- as much as 10 million tonnes a year - something that Cabosse Naturals aims to change.
Woltering-Valat said: “In line with the goals of Stop Food Waste Day, we are also playing our part in igniting change. We are helping brands and artisans create new products which contain upcycled cacaofruit ingredients and that empower consumers to make a positive impact with their everyday purchases. This prevents many thousands of tonnes from going to waste.”
In September, Waitrose launched its No 1 WholeFruit chocolate bar, made from 100% pure cacaofruit, and energy drink brand Kayu has also launched the first plant-based cacaofruit drink in the UK. The brand also predicts more new products containing ingredients from upcycled cacaofruit will soon launch in the UK.
Cabosse Naturals, a brand by Barry Callebaut, is speaking in the run up to Stop Food Waste Day - the largest single day in the global fight against food waste.
Food waste is central to some of the key challenges facing the world today, including hunger and poverty, climate change, health and wellbeing, and the sustainability of agriculture and oceans. Wasting food is also a waste of the energy to grow, harvest, process and cook. Food waste in landfill can cause methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas(Source: World Food Programme).
Traditionally, the cacaofruit has been harvested for its seeds to use in the manufacture of chocolate. However, the seeds represent only about 30% of the fruit, meaning that 70% - its pulp and peel - has been discarded.
Explained Sylvie Woltering-Valat, head of marketing at Cabosse Naturals, said: “Just like an apple or orange, the cacaofruit has its own uniquely fruity taste, but few people know anything about it, let alone have tasted it.
“We have worked on an innovative and unprecedented upcycling supply chain for years to harness the natural richness of this delicious but largely unknown fruit.”
The cacaofruit’s zesty signature flavour is deliciously refreshing and brings complex notes and natural sweetness to ingredients, which are very versatile and can be used in a number of ways, including in drinks, ice cream, dairy products, confectionery and snacks.
Woltering-Valat added: “Reducing food waste is the single greatest way of fighting climate change. According to the Food Standard Agency, this is the number one concern for British consumers when food shopping. It is also a key contributor to the rise in the food upcycling trend.”
● Around the world, about 30% of all food, 50% of all fruit and vegetables and 70% of all cacaofruit goes to waste yearly
● If all harvested cacaofruit was used to its fullest, it would reduce the same amount of CO2 as planting 3.5 billion trees per year. That’s an area bigger than France and Germany combined
● Annually, about 14 million tonnes of cacaofruit are harvested around the world
● Up to 70% of the cacaofruit was previously thrown away - that’s as much as 10 million tonnes
● Preventing food waste is the single most effective solution to prevent global warming and cacaofruit is the most impactful fruit to fully upcycle
● Britain is a nation of chocolate lovers. It’s estimated we eat an average 660,900 tonnes of chocolate a year - that’s 1kg per person per year
● The UK has the seventh-highest chocolate consumption in the world and the fourth-highest in Europe
The journey of the cacaofruit starts in farms in the tropical regions around the Equator. Once ripe, the cacaofruit is harvested by hand, cleaned and opened to remove the seeds from the fresh pulp.
The cacaofruit pulp has a clean, fresh white colour and a sweet scent of honey. With its pleasant zesty fruity flavour, it has a uniquely refreshing signature taste that brings natural sweetness and refreshing fruity notes when used in drinks and snacks.
Once the cacaofruit is opened, its pulp is immediately pressed into juice to preserve its fresh aromas, then filtered, gently pasteurised and concentrated to obtain the cacaofruit juice concentrate.
The juice has a unique zesty fruitiness, making it a refreshing fruit base for a large range of beverages, including functional beverages, ready to drink teas,coffees and even beers and kombuchas. It has a light yellow colour with a fruity scent and naturally contains magnesium, potassium and antioxidants. It brings a deliciously exotic flavour to drinks.
Characterised by its golden brown colour and a fruity honey scent, the concentrate is 100% pure and free from sweeteners, additives and preservatives. It adds an intense fruity sweetness and a unique signature flavour wherever used.
It also caters to growing consumer demand for products and ingredients which are kinder to the environment.
Notes to editors:
Images are available here.
Cabosse Naturals, the global cacaofruit expert: Over the past 5 years, Cabosse Naturals has mastered the process to create a high-quality range of 100% pure cacaofruit ingredients. The range unleashes the full power of the cacaofruit by making use of its beans, its nutrient-dense peel and its fresh and fruity pulp and juice. Offering food manufacturers and artisanal brands to include a new taste to their current offering.
The global cacaofruit expert Cabosse Naturals is a brand by Barry Callebaut, which is the world’s leading chocolate manufacturer – the company is responsible for one in five of all chocolate and cocoa creations consumed worldwide.
For more information, please contact:
Vanessa Munnings
00 44 (0) 7907 174770
