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Beyond the Bean: The Race to Create Chocolate Without Cocoa

Chocolate holds a special place in global culture. It marks celebrations, offers comfort and provides simple moments of pleasure. However, the future of this beloved treat faces unprecedented challenges. Soaring costs and unstable supplies threaten the accessibility of traditional chocolate. In response, a new generation of food innovators races to create convincing alternatives, using ingredients far removed from the tropical cacao bean. These substitutes, crafted from fava beans, sunflower seeds or carob, are appearing on European supermarket shelves. They represent a potential shift in how people satisfy their sweet cravings. The question arises: are these cocoa-free creations a necessary evolution or simply a novel indulgence?

The Unprecedented Price Surge

The cost of genuine chocolate has climbed sharply. Richard Caines, principal food and drink analyst at market research firm Mintel, notes average chocolate prices increased by 9% across 2024. That figure jumped to 14% in January 2025. While consumers feel the pinch at the till, the root cause lies deeper in the supply chain. The price of cocoa, the processed seed of the cacao tree and chocolate's core ingredient, surged dramatically. Trading Economics reports cocoa prices reached an all-time high of $12,906 per tonne in December 2024. This represents a staggering increase, with prices nearly tripling over the preceding year. Although prices retreated somewhat in early 2025, hovering around $8,100 per tonne in March, they remained significantly above historical averages.

Climate Change Hammers West African Farms

This dramatic price escalation is largely driven by environmental factors impacting West Africa. Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire together produce over 60% of the world's cocoa. These regions face severe challenges linked to climate change. A February 2025 report by Christian Aid highlights how rising temperatures and erratic rainfall have devastated harvests. Climate Central analysis confirms this, finding that human-caused climate change added weeks of excessive heat (above 32°C, the optimal limit for cacao) in major cocoa-growing areas during 2024. This extreme heat stresses cacao trees, reducing yields. Research suggests climate change could render up to 50% of current cocoa-growing areas in West and Central Africa unsuitable by 2050.

Disease and Deforestation Compound Problems

Beyond heat and unpredictable rainfall, other factors exacerbate the supply crisis. Plant diseases, notably the Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV), spread by mealybugs, significantly reduce yields and can kill trees. This virus remains a persistent threat in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Furthermore, deforestation linked to cocoa farming poses a major environmental challenge. Some estimates suggest 70% of illegal deforestation in Côte d'Ivoire relates to cocoa cultivation. This habitat destruction impacts biodiversity, harms ecosystems, and ironically, can worsen local climate impacts, creating a damaging feedback loop. Aging trees with declining productivity also contribute to lower overall yields across the region.

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Economic Pressures and Shifting Priorities

Economic factors add another layer of complexity. Many cocoa farmers live in poverty, struggling with low and volatile incomes. The recent price spikes for raw cocoa beans have not always translated into significantly higher earnings for farmers. Reports from Ghana suggest some farmers, facing economic hardship and crop difficulties, have abandoned cacao cultivation for potentially more lucrative, though environmentally damaging, illicit gold mining activities, known locally as 'galamsey'. These combined pressures resulted in a global cocoa shortfall estimated at around half a million tonnes in the past year, tightening supplies and pushing prices ever higher.

Chocolate: A Future Luxury?

The confluence of climate shocks, disease, and economic pressures prompts speculation about chocolate's future status. Massimo Sabatini, chief executive and co-founder of Italian company Foreverland, predicts genuine chocolate could become a premium item. His company produces Choruba, a cocoa powder substitute derived from carob pods. Foreverland established a new production facility in March 2025 to meet growing demand. The idea is that as traditional cocoa becomes scarcer and more expensive, alternatives like Choruba will fill the gap, particularly in mass-market products. This shift could fundamentally change how people perceive and consume chocolate-flavoured treats.

Carob's Attempted Comeback

Foreverland uses carob, a plant native to the Mediterranean. Brown, banana-shaped carob pods yield a powder somewhat resembling cocoa. However, carob carries historical baggage. Carob-based confections popularised in the 1970s health food movement often disappointed consumers. A New Yorker article famously described how these early attempts "scarred" a generation, lacking the characteristic flavour and melting quality of real chocolate. Mr Sabatini insists Foreverland developed a superior product through proprietary processing. He acknowledges carob differs from cocoa but claims their method minimises the distinct carob taste, enhancing its similarity to cocoa, particularly dark chocolate, albeit with caramel notes and potentially higher sweetness.

Health and Sustainability Claims for Carob

Beyond taste mimicry, carob offers potential advantages. Mr Sabatini highlights its capacity for significant sugar reduction compared to traditional chocolate formulations. Nutritionally, carob boasts naturally higher fibre levels and lower fat content than cocoa. Foreverland also promotes Choruba's environmental credentials. An initial life-cycle assessment suggested their carob-based alternative cuts water consumption by 90% and emissions by 80% compared to conventional chocolate. The company also notes that using carob pods addresses food waste, as currently, only the seeds (for locust bean gum) are widely utilised, leaving 90% of the fruit discarded.

Sunflower Seeds Enter the Fray

German company Planet A Foods offers a different approach with ChoViva. This alternative uses roasted and fermented oats and sunflower seeds as its base. Co-founder and chief technologist Sara Marquart positions ChoViva not as a direct replacement for cocoa, but as a supplement. The goal is to address the instability and price volatility of the cocoa supply chain. Planet A Foods aims to offer manufacturers a reliable, locally sourced alternative ingredient. Their process involves proprietary fermentation technology to develop chocolate-like flavours and textures from the seed base, combined with ingredients like shea butter.

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ChoViva in the Marketplace

ChoViva features in around 35 retail products, primarily in German and French markets. It recently entered the UK via Aldi, appearing in peanut butter mini eggs produced by Wawi-Schokolade under Aldi's Dairyfine brand. Taste tests of ChoViva products reveal mixed results. In the peanut butter eggs, the strong, salty peanut flavour tends to dominate, masking the coating's subtleties. ChoViva-coated biscuits offer a better sense of the product itself. The texture mimics chocolate reasonably well, providing a similar snap. However, the melt can feel slightly less smooth than traditional chocolate, and the coating may seem thin, lacking deep richness.

Expanding ChoViva's Reach

Planet A Foods has ambitious plans. Following a successful Series A funding round of $15.4 million in early 2024, and a further $30 million Series B round later that year, the company is scaling up production significantly. Their facility can now produce large quantities, aiming for over 15,000 tonnes annually. They intend to expand internationally, targeting the UK, France, the US, and potentially Asia. Their product portfolio includes ChoViva for confectionery, snacks, cereals, and ice creams. They are also developing ChoViva Butter, a cocoa butter equivalent using precision fermentation, aiming for price parity with traditional cocoa butter.

Fava Beans: A British Alternative

UK-based Nukoko introduces a third base ingredient: fava beans (broad beans). Founded by former chocolate entrepreneurs Ross Newton and Kit Tomlinson, alongside culinary scientist Professor David Salt, Nukoko aims to tackle supply chain issues head-on. Newton explains their motivation stemmed from direct experience with cocoa sourcing volatility. By using fava beans, a crop readily grown in the UK (approximately one million tonnes harvested annually), they aim for local sourcing and reduced transport emissions. Nukoko secured $1.5 million in seed funding in early 2024 to scale its technology.

Nukoko's Fermentation Focus

Nukoko employs a patent-pending fermentation process, mirroring traditional cocoa fermentation, to transform fava beans. The company claims this method develops the complex flavour profile associated with chocolate. Co-founder Ross Newton acknowledges the difficulty in achieving perfect flavour replication. While their product reportedly captures 24 of the 25 key flavour compounds found in real chocolate, some differ in concentration. Nukoko promotes its alternative as producing 90% fewer carbon emissions than conventional chocolate, being high in protein and fibre, and containing 40% less sugar. A partnership with global ingredients supplier Döhler aims to reach industrial-scale production by 2025.

The Crucial Taste Test

Market analyst Richard Caines underscores a critical hurdle for all cocoa alternatives: flavour parity. Chocolate consumers often possess discerning palates. Persuading them to switch to cocoa-free options requires alternatives that closely match the taste and texture experience of the real thing. Early taste tests suggest current alternatives offer varying degrees of success. Some mimic texture well but fall short on flavour depth or melt characteristics. Caines suggests substitutes might initially find easier acceptance in products where the 'chocolate' element provides texture rather than being the dominant flavour, such as in chocolate chip cookies or as coatings combined with strong fillings.

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Consumer Acceptance Hurdles

Beyond sensory mimicry, consumer perception poses another challenge. While novelty might attract initial trials, long-term adoption depends on delivering a satisfying experience consistently. The history of carob shows that negative initial encounters can create lasting resistance. Furthermore, 'real chocolate lovers' may resist anything perceived as imitation, regardless of quality. Innova Market Insights notes that while some Asian consumers show positive perception towards cell-based ingredients, the broader market for cocoa alternatives needs convincing. Success hinges on replicating the unique, indulgent qualities that make chocolate so appealing.

Impact on Cacao Farmers

The rise of alternatives raises concerns about the livelihoods of millions of smallholder cacao farmers in West Africa and other tropical regions. Oxford University biology instructor Tonya Lander points out that widespread adoption of substitutes could negatively impact this economically vulnerable group. Farmers already grapple with low incomes, climate change impacts, and limited resources. A shift away from traditional cocoa could further marginalise them. Lander advocates for collaboration between alternative producers and the cocoa sector to mitigate potential harm and ensure fair practices throughout the supply chain.

Supplement, Not Replace?

The companies behind Choruba, ChoViva, and Nukoko consistently state their goal is supplementation, not complete replacement. They aim to fill supply gaps and offer manufacturers options during periods of cocoa scarcity or extreme price volatility. Their narrative focuses on providing resilience and sustainability within the broader confectionery market, rather than eliminating traditional chocolate entirely. This positioning acknowledges the deep cultural and economic significance of cocoa while offering pragmatic solutions to current challenges. It remains to be seen how market dynamics and consumer choices will ultimately shape the balance between traditional cocoa and its novel alternatives.

Sustainable Cocoa: Another Path Forward

Alongside the development of alternatives, efforts continue to make traditional cocoa farming more sustainable and resilient. Initiatives promoted by organisations like the European Union (Sustainable Cocoa Initiative) and IDH (The Sustainable Trade Initiative) focus on improving farmer livelihoods, eliminating child labour, and protecting forests. Techniques like agroforestry (growing cacao under shade trees) can help regulate temperatures, improve biodiversity, and provide farmers with additional income streams. Research by Dr Lander and colleagues highlights that improving pollination through habitat enhancement (like maintaining leaf litter) could boost yields significantly without needing farm expansion.

The Future Landscape

The chocolate world stands at a crossroads. Unprecedented cocoa prices driven by climate change and supply issues accelerate the search for alternatives. Companies using carob, sunflower seeds, and fava beans offer innovative potential solutions, boasting sustainability benefits and supply chain stability. However, achieving taste and texture parity remains a significant challenge, crucial for winning over discerning consumers. Simultaneously, the potential impact on millions of cacao farmers necessitates careful consideration and collaborative approaches. The future likely involves a mix: traditional chocolate potentially becoming more of a premium product, alternatives finding niches (especially in mass-market goods), and a stronger push for truly sustainable, climate-resilient cocoa farming practices.