Howtian VP reveals how to slash cocoa use by 13% in chocolate production

Cocoa prices have exploded past $12,000/ton. For chocolate producers, it’s no longer business as usual - it’s survival mode. In this deep dive, HOWTIAN® VP @Tom Fuzer reveals how R&D teams are slashing cocoa use by up to 13% with longer conching, botanical boosters like lucuma and carob, and clean-label cocoa flavor enhancers. This isn’t just reformulation - it’s a reimagining of what chocolate can be. #CocoaCrisis #CleanLabel #ChocolateInnovation #FoodIndustry #BakeryAndSnacks #IngredientTrends #R&D #Howtian https://lnkd.in/e6mnXzPA

Understanding Cocoa Bean Fermentation Duration Cocoa bean fermentation is one of the most crucial steps in determining the flavor, aroma, and overall quality of chocolate. Yet, many people don’t realize how much the duration of fermentation directly influences the outcome of the beans. After harvesting, cocoa beans are placed in boxes, baskets, or covered heaps, where natural yeasts and bacteria begin breaking down the pulp. This process generates heat, encourages microbial activity, and transforms the beans chemically and physically. Here’s why duration matters: Short Fermentation (2–3 days): Beans tend to produce a fruity but underdeveloped flavor. While useful for some niche products, these beans often lack the depth needed for premium chocolate. Standard Fermentation (5–7 days): This is the ideal duration for most cocoa varieties. It allows for complete microbial succession (yeasts → lactic acid bacteria → acetic acid bacteria), which breaks down pulp sugars and penetrates the bean. The result? Rich, balanced flavors with proper color and aroma. Extended Fermentation (8+ days): Going beyond the optimal window can lead to over-fermentation, where beans take on undesirable flavors, mold risks increase, and quality deteriorates. The duration isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on bean variety, climate, and processing method. For example, Criollo beans may require shorter fermentation, while Forastero beans often need the full 6–7 days. In essence, fermentation is not just a step—it’s the heartbeat of cocoa quality. Getting it right ensures that chocolatiers and consumers experience the authentic richness cocoa beans are meant to offer. At Synergic Sustainability, we prioritize well-dried, fully fermented cocoa beans that meet international standards, ensuring our buyers receive nothing less than premium-grade quality. 📌 Our Products: Raw Cashew Nuts (high KOR, premium grade) Cocoa Beans (well sun-dried, fully fermented, traceable, rich in cocoa butter) Coffee Beans (highland grown, aromatic, export certified) Visit us: https://lnkd.in/ew8hzKYR Ready to take your business further with premium raw materials? Let’s make it happen. #Cocoa #Agriculture #Sustainability #FoodIndustry #SupplyChain #QualityMatters #ChocolateMaking #Coffee #CashewNuts #LinkedInGlobal #LinkedInForBusiness

Illipe Butter: The Lesser-Known Fat in Chocolate When we think of chocolate, the hero ingredient is usually cocoa butter. But did you know that in many parts of the world, chocolate can legally include up to 5% of other plant-based fats like Illipe butter? 💡 What is Illipe Butter? Extracted from the nuts of the Shorea stenoptera tree (native to Borneo). Rich in stearic and oleic acids, very similar to cocoa butter. Known for its smooth melting point, snap, and stability → making it a popular Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE). 🍫 Uses in the Food Industry Widely used in chocolate & confectionery to replace part of cocoa butter. Improves texture, gloss, and shelf life. Also used in bakery shortenings, coatings, and compound chocolates. 📜 Regulatory Snapshot EU / India / Codex countries → Permitted up to 5% in chocolate, must be labeled: “Contains vegetable fat in addition to cocoa butter” US / Canada / Japan → Not allowed in “real chocolate.” Products with Illipe butter must be sold as compound chocolate or chocolate-flavoured coatings. EAEU (Russia, etc.) → Same as EU (5% allowed). 👉 Why does this matter? With cocoa prices at record highs, food companies are exploring CBEs like Illipe butter to balance cost, sustainability, and product quality. Understanding the regulatory landscape is key for global compliance and transparent labeling. --- Do you think consumers care whether their chocolate contains only cocoa butter, or are they more focused on taste and price? #Chocolate #FoodRegulations #Cocoa #FoodIndustry #Sustainability #FSSAI #EURegulation

Fermentation: The Ancient Science Behind Bold Flavor When you think “organic spices,” you might not immediately think fermentation. But in the spice world, fermentation is one of the oldest and most natural ways to enhance flavor—used for everything from chili peppers to cocoa and vanilla beans. Take Tabasco sauce, for example: ripe red peppers are mixed with salt and aged in repurposed white oak bourbon barrels for up to three years before being blended with vinegar. During this time, naturally occurring microbes transform the peppers’ flavor, developing complexity and depth—no synthetic additives required. Why does this matter in the organic spice industry? Because organic standards prohibit synthetic preservatives and flavor enhancers. Fermentation allows spices to develop rich taste profiles naturally, aligning perfectly with the principles of organic farming and food production. At High Quality Organics, we don’t just sell spices—we live them, breathe them, and understand the science behind every single one. 🎙 Learn more about the fascinating science of flavor on the OG Spice Guy Podcast—and discover why HQO is the trusted name in organic spices. https://lnkd.in/g-tZQHTa #HQO #OGSpiceGuy #OrganicSpices #Fermentation #FoodScience #FlavorInnovation #SustainableFood #OrganicFarming

Major food companies like Pepsi and Barilla have been slipping them (crickets) into the products you eat every day — under different names. ⚠️ 🍝 Barilla (Pasta) Since 2023, their “plant protein” pasta line has actually contained cricket flour from farms in Thailand. 🍔 Beyond Meat Marketed as “100% plant-based,” but the protein comes from mealworm larvae raised on pea waste. 🔋 Red Bull The red dye (carminic acid) comes from crushed cochineal insects — up to 70,000 per liter. Now they’re adding insect shell chitin as “natural flavors.” 🍫 Nutella (Ferrero) Since 2024, contains black soldier fly larvae flour to cut cocoa costs. Labeled as “mineral enrichment.” 🥤 PepsiCo (Lay’s Chips) Some “natural flavors” are extracts from grasshoppers and locusts for umami taste — not disclosed in marketing.

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥, 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 Craft Soda Market size is forecast to reach $711.3 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.99% during the forecast period 2020-2025. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 @ https://lnkd.in/gA-DAW7b Craft Soda is a flavoured carbonated drink widely categorized under soft drinks. Rising health concerns and the growing willingness of young adults for authentic #beverages are the major factors driving the growth of the market. Organic craft soda is a kind of soda drink brewed in small batches and contain natural ingredients, including natural sweeteners like pure cane sugar, #stevia, and honey. Rising health concerns and high market penetration is increasing the demand for organic craft soda. Organic Craft soda is a non-traditional flavoured #softdrink to attract customers looking for alternatives. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 @ https://lnkd.in/gG6KMqfT These days the young adults are becoming diet concessions, so they prefer to consume craft soda as a healthy substitute to soft drinks and #alcohol. The craft soda is prepared in small batches as well as can be distinct as come in bottles that contain natural flavors such as root beer, crème soda, ginger soda, and fruity flavor like cherry, berry, orange, etc. PepsiCo | Cargill | Bunge | Archer Daniels Midland | Sysco | Tyson Foods | Mars | Coca-Cola HBC | Starbucks | Smithfield Foods | Mondelēz International | Kraft Heinz | Dairy Farmers of America | General Mills| Land O'Lakes, Inc. | Beam Suntory | Colgate-Palmolive | Lactalis American Group | Kellogg Company | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. #CraftSoda #ArtisanalBeverages #FunctionalDrinks #NaturalSoda #LowSugar #PremiumFizzy #HealthierDrinks #GourmetSoda #SoftDrinkInnovation #GutHealthSoda

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥, 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 Craft Soda Market size is forecast to reach $711.3 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.99% during the forecast period 2020-2025. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 @ https://lnkd.in/gA-DAW7b Craft Soda is a flavoured carbonated drink widely categorized under soft drinks. Rising health concerns and the growing willingness of young adults for authentic #beverages are the major factors driving the growth of the market. Organic craft soda is a kind of soda drink brewed in small batches and contain natural ingredients, including natural sweeteners like pure cane sugar, #stevia, and honey. Rising health concerns and high market penetration is increasing the demand for organic craft soda. Organic Craft soda is a non-traditional flavoured #softdrink to attract customers looking for alternatives. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 @ https://lnkd.in/gG6KMqfT These days the young adults are becoming diet concessions, so they prefer to consume craft soda as a healthy substitute to soft drinks and #alcohol. The craft soda is prepared in small batches as well as can be distinct as come in bottles that contain natural flavors such as root beer, crème soda, ginger soda, and fruity flavor like cherry, berry, orange, etc. PepsiCo | Cargill | Bunge | Archer Daniels Midland | Sysco | Tyson Foods | Mars | Coca-Cola HBC | Starbucks | Smithfield Foods | Mondelēz International | Kraft Heinz | Dairy Farmers of America | General Mills| Land O'Lakes, Inc. | Beam Suntory | Colgate-Palmolive | Lactalis American Group | Kellogg Company | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. #CraftSoda #ArtisanalBeverages #FunctionalDrinks #NaturalSoda #LowSugar #PremiumFizzy #HealthierDrinks #GourmetSoda #SoftDrinkInnovation #GutHealthSoda

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥, 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 Craft Soda Market size is forecast to reach $711.3 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.99% during the forecast period 2020-2025. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 @ https://lnkd.in/gA-DAW7b Craft Soda is a flavoured carbonated drink widely categorized under soft drinks. Rising health concerns and the growing willingness of young adults for authentic #beverages are the major factors driving the growth of the market. Organic craft soda is a kind of soda drink brewed in small batches and contain natural ingredients, including natural sweeteners like pure cane sugar, #stevia, and honey. Rising health concerns and high market penetration is increasing the demand for organic craft soda. Organic Craft soda is a non-traditional flavoured #softdrink to attract customers looking for alternatives. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 @ https://lnkd.in/gG6KMqfT These days the young adults are becoming diet concessions, so they prefer to consume craft soda as a healthy substitute to soft drinks and #alcohol. The craft soda is prepared in small batches as well as can be distinct as come in bottles that contain natural flavors such as root beer, crème soda, ginger soda, and fruity flavor like cherry, berry, orange, etc. PepsiCo | Cargill | Bunge | Archer Daniels Midland | Sysco | Tyson Foods | Mars | Coca-Cola HBC | Starbucks | Smithfield Foods | Mondelēz International | Kraft Heinz | Dairy Farmers of America | General Mills| Land O'Lakes, Inc. | Beam Suntory | Colgate-Palmolive | Lactalis American Group | Kellogg Company | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. #CraftSoda #ArtisanalBeverages #FunctionalDrinks #NaturalSoda #LowSugar #PremiumFizzy #HealthierDrinks #GourmetSoda #SoftDrinkInnovation #GutHealthSoda

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥, 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 Craft Soda Market size is forecast to reach $711.3 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.99% during the forecast period 2020-2025. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 @ https://lnkd.in/gA-DAW7b Craft Soda is a flavoured carbonated drink widely categorized under soft drinks. Rising health concerns and the growing willingness of young adults for authentic #beverages are the major factors driving the growth of the market. Organic craft soda is a kind of soda drink brewed in small batches and contain natural ingredients, including natural sweeteners like pure cane sugar, #stevia, and honey. Rising health concerns and high market penetration is increasing the demand for organic craft soda. Organic Craft soda is a non-traditional flavoured #softdrink to attract customers looking for alternatives. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 @ https://lnkd.in/gG6KMqfT These days the young adults are becoming diet concessions, so they prefer to consume craft soda as a healthy substitute to soft drinks and #alcohol. The craft soda is prepared in small batches as well as can be distinct as come in bottles that contain natural flavors such as root beer, crème soda, ginger soda, and fruity flavor like cherry, berry, orange, etc. PepsiCo | Cargill | Bunge | Archer Daniels Midland | Sysco | Tyson Foods | Mars | Coca-Cola HBC | Starbucks | Smithfield Foods | Mondelēz International | Kraft Heinz | Dairy Farmers of America | General Mills| Land O'Lakes, Inc. | Beam Suntory | Colgate-Palmolive | Lactalis American Group | Kellogg Company | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. #CraftSoda #ArtisanalBeverages #FunctionalDrinks #NaturalSoda #LowSugar #PremiumFizzy #HealthierDrinks #GourmetSoda #SoftDrinkInnovation #GutHealthSoda