Germany’s REWE Group says it has become the first European retailer to use ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate in its own-label products.
ChoViva is produced by German startup Planet A Foods, and is made from locally-grown ingredients such as oats and sunflower seeds. The concept originated when the founders realised that most of the flavour of chocolate comes from the fermentation and roasting process rather than the taste of cocoa beans.
REWE launched its first products containing ChoViva this month, under the brands ja! and REWE Beste Wahl at REWE stores and the COVO, Granola, and Chocolà brands at PENNY. By using the cocoa alternative, REWE hopes to become more ecologically responsible, as ChoViva requires far fewer resources than conventional chocolate production and is not reliant on world markets. Some of the new products will be permanently available, while others are limited-edition.
“ChoViva immediately convinced us with regards to quality as an ingredient and its advantages for nature, climate, resource conservation, and availability of raw materials,” said Marcel Weber, Head of Private Label Brands at REWE Group. “The aspect of sustainability is of high corporate strategic importance. In addition, more sustainable and plant-based products continue to be popular across all generations. For this reason, the REWE Group is consistently looking for new approaches and pioneering ideas that bring us closer to our goals.”
Seamless integration
The news comes less than a month after Planet A Foods announced it had raised $14.5 million in Series A funding to expand ChoViva internationally and become a leader in the chocolate alternatives market. The startup partnered with Lindt last year to launch a limited-edition vegan chocolate bar, and has also collaborated with companies such as Peter Kölln, Spitz, and Hans Freitag.
Recently, ChoViva won two awards at ISM in Cologne: New Product Showcase for its chocolate alternative and the ISM Consumer Award for ja! Neapolitan wafers, developed in collaboration with REWE. Planet A Foods is reportedly now preparing to expand into the UK.
“We are proud that our partners have been able to seamlessly integrate ChoViva into their existing chocolate production,” said Planet A Foods co-founder Sara Marquart. “We carried out plant tests in close collaboration and were able to offer REWE and PENNY a range of products quickly.”
