© ProVeg International

Sweets & Snacks

Why Do Consumers Want Plant-Based Chocolate?

The plant-based chocolate industry is skyrocketing – with the global industry expected to reach US$4 billion by 2032. But why? What consumer drivers are causing market growth? In its latest New Food Hub article, ProVeg International investigates the main consumer drivers for the expanding plant-based chocolate industry. With this knowledge, businesses can better understand how to approach the segment and target audiences, and how to design, merchandise, and market successful products.  Health and intolerances One of the most significant consumer motivations for dairy-free chocolate products is, perhaps surprisingly, health. Rising health consciousness is driving consumers’ search for healthier snacking alternatives and higher-quality chocolate. This is leading them to plant-based chocolate products, which are perceived as being healthier than conventional dairy-based varieties. Indeed, research shows that 86% …

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H!P Crunchy Orange chocolate bar

© H!P

Sweets & Snacks

James Cadbury’s H!P Launches Oat Milk-Based Crunchy Orange Chocolate Bar

British plant-based chocolate brand H!P (Happiness !n Plants) has unveiled a new product, the Crunchy Orange chocolate bar. Developed in response to consumer demand, the bar combines oat milk-based chocolate with natural orange flavouring and crunchy waffle cone pieces. The cocoa used is single-origin, sourced from Colombia. Sold in plastic-free packaging, H!P’s products are said to have a 50% lower carbon footprint than conventional milk chocolate. They are described as “a firm favourite with Gen Zers and millennials”. “Timeless classic” Earlier this year, H!P launched three new bite-size chocolates in sharing pouches — Caramel Crunch Peanuts, Peanut Butter Truffle Bites, and Chocolate Buttons. Other products in the range include bars in the flavours Cookies No Cream, Salty Pretzel, and Salted Honeycomb. H!P was founded by …

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LoveRaw faux Snickers bar

© LoveRaw

Marketing & Media

LoveRaw to Launch Major Billboard Campaign to Promote Vegan Faux Snickers Bar

This summer, UK chocolate brand LoveRaw will launch what it describes as its biggest OOH advertising campaign yet, promoting the brand’s new plant-based faux Snickers bar. With advertisements on billboards, bus stops, and more, the campaign will feature slogans such as “When we said we were making a plant-based one, they all sn:ckered at us” and “Don’t sn:cker because it’s plant-based”. LoveRaw hopes that the ads will reach millions of consumers. The new bar launched last month and consists of roasted peanuts, nougat, and caramel, all coated in LoveRaw’s signature vegan milk chocolate. It is free of palm oil and artificial ingredients. Other LoveRaw chocolates include Nutty Choc Balls, Cre&m Wafer Bars, Peanut Butter Cups, and M:lk Chocolate Bars. The brand has attributed much of …

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NOMO No Missing Out

© NOMO

Sweets & Snacks

NOMO Launches Vegan Cookie Dough Bar, Reports Valuation of Over £9.5M

UK vegan chocolate brand NOMO announces the launch of the Cookie Dough Bar and reports impressive growth figures. NOMO is now worth £9,523,446, making it the UK’s top vegan and free-from chocolate brand. This figure is up 22.3% compared to a year ago. The company is double the size of its nearest competitor, and accounts for 16% of the UK vegan and free-from chocolate category, according to the founders. NOMO’s new bar features cookie dough encased in vegan milk chocolate, and is the brand’s biggest bar yet, making it ideal for sharing. The launch is a response to the success of NOMO’s seasonal cookie dough products; the Cookie Dough Reindeer was the best-selling free from impulse buy in its debut year, while the Cookie Dough …

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LoveRaw launches vegan peanut caramel bar

© Image courtesy of LoveRaw

Products & Launches

LoveRaw Expands Plant-Based Chocolate Range With Peanut Caramel Bar

UK vegan chocolate pioneer LoveRaw has unveiled its newest product, the Peanut Caramel Bar. The vegan treat is made with roasted peanuts, nougat, and caramel, coated in LoveRaw’s signature m:lk chocolate. Like the rest of the brand’s chocolate range — which includes Nutty Choc Balls, Cre&m Wafer Bars, Peanut Butter Cups, and M:lk Chocolate Bars — the new product is dairy and palm oil-free, with no artificial ingredients added. The Peanut Caramel Bar will be available at DDC Foods, Wholesaler Epicuirum, and online on LoveRaw’s website from April 28th.   Innovative plant-based chocolate Founded in 2013 by Manav and Rimi Thapar, LoveRaw has seen exponential success with its unique product portfolio and strong brand identity. In 2020, it debuted the world’s first vegan wafer bar, the …

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Chocolate ProVeg NFH

Image: ProVeg International

Sweets & Snacks

Plant-Based Chocolate Set to Outpace Growth of Conventional Products

New data shows that, in terms of growth, the plant-based chocolate sector is expected to outpace the conventional chocolate industry in the coming years.  In its latest New Food Hub article, ProVeg International dives into the global chocolate industry, giving an overview of the opportunities available in the plant-based chocolate sector.  The growth of the plant-based chocolate industry is multifaceted. Remarkably, new research shows that plant-based chocolate confectionery launches comprise the fastest-growing trend in the chocolate industry, up 71% (Global, CAGR October 2017–September 2018 vs October 2021–September 2022). According to Innova Market Research, the top three fastest-growing, chocolate-confectionery ingredient launches are all plant-based, with oats up 78%, coconut fat up 74%, and erythritol up 64% (Global CAGR October 2017–September 2018 vs October 2021–September 2022).  Plant-based …

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Reese's Vegan Milk Chocolate

©The Hershey Company

Products & Launches

Hershey’s to Launch Dairy-Free Hershey’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Across US

Today, legendary chocolatier The Hershey Company announces it is introducing two new milk chocolate alternatives: Hershey’s Plant-Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups. Both products will be launching nationwide in the US this spring. Described as a “melt in your mouth” treat experience, the confections feature milk chocolate made with dairy alternatives like oat milk. According to Hershey’s, the new plant-based offerings add to its selection of diverse and better-for-you snacking options.  “Meeting changing needs” In 2021, the company launched its first-ever vegan chocolate bar –  Hershey’s Oat Made – in Classic Dark and Extra Creamy Almond & Sea Salt. The chocolate was released for a limited time at US Target stores and other select retailers.  The famed chocolate manufacturer, which …

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LOVO Swiss-made chocolate

© LOVO

Sweets & Snacks

LOVO: Swiss-Made Chocolate Featuring Four Varieties of Plant-Based Milks

In 2013, Canadian husband-and-wife team Simon Lester and Courtenay Vuchnich launched Pascha, an allergen-free chocolate brand. While Pascha’s products are all vegan-friendly, the range only contains dark chocolate. Now, Lester and Vuchnich have set out to offer an alternative to milk chocolate with their new Swiss-made chocolate brand, LOVO. Four varieties Many plant-based milk chocolate products are made using rice milk, due to its sweetness and neutral taste. However, rice milk is very low in fat, making it difficult to achieve the creaminess consumers expect from milk chocolate. After some unsuccessful experimentation, LOVO’s founders decided to turn to the plant milks that are most popular with consumers — oat, almond, coconut, and hazelnut. While other manufacturers had thought the flavours of these milks would be …

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© NOMO

Sweets & Snacks

NOMO Wins Multiple Free From Food Awards for Vegan Easter Chocolates

NOMO, which claims to be the UK’s top vegan and free-from chocolate brand, has received multiple accolades at the Easter Free From Food Awards. The following three products won gold awards: Chocolate Orange Bunny — A brand-new option, described by the judges as, “A lovely plump bunny, visually very appealing. There is a good bite to the chocolate, and the filling has a lovely crunchy texture and orange flavour.”  Kids Egg & Lolly — Recently reimagined, this egg was said to be, “A great looking product that will appeal to children, and the chocolate egg doesn’t disappoint. A great and safe option for so many, with the welcome addition of a choc lolly and fun packaging.” Cookie Dough Egg & Bunny — This popular choice …

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white couverture

© Belcolade

Sweets & Snacks

Belcolade Launches “Market First” Plant-Based White Couverture

Belgian chocolate producer Belcolade — part of the Puratos group — has launched what it claims is the first ever plant-based white couverture. Couverture is a type of chocolate containing more cocoa butter than eating or baking chocolate. It is typically used for applications such as coating, dipping, and moulding. Aimed at professionals who work with chocolate, Belcolade’s couverture is designed to have a rich and creamy texture and a firm “snap”. Unlike many plant-based chocolate products, the couverture is free of allergens such as soy and coconut. It follows the widely acclaimed vegan milk chocolate launched by the company in 2021. “Unique innovation” The new couverture has been developed in response to rising consumer demand for dairy-free chocolate; market reports suggest that the worldwide …

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Vegan milk chocolate

©Moon Magic

Products & Launches

Moon Magic Launches ‘World’s First’ Line of Low-Calorie, Low-Sugar Vegan Milk Chocolate

Moon Magic, a new dairy-free chocolate brand, is officially launching its line of better-for-you chocolates that aim to disrupt the global chocolate market by transforming the treat into a healthy snack.  Described as the ‘world’s first’ all-vegan, low-calorie and low-sugar milk chocolate, Moon Magic’s products are made from a blend of oat milk and almond milk.  Each of the brand’s bars contains 117 calories and 2g of total sugars, which come from naturally occurring sugars in its oat milk. Unlike the majority of retail chocolate bars, Moon Magic says it uses simple ingredients with no preservatives or artificial additives.  The brand’s flavors include: Cosmic Crunch – With crunchy crisped puffed rice  Tropic in Coconut – Coconut chocolate bar with almond pieces, shredded coconut and crispy …

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Love Cocoa

James Cadbury. © Love Cocoa

Investments & Acquisitions

James Cadbury’s Love Cocoa Raises £4.25M in Round Led by Richard Koch

Love Cocoa, the UK-based chocolate company founded by James Cadbury, has raised £4.25 million from investor and bestselling author Richard Koch. The company will use the funding to open several new retail stores in London, increase distribution of its plant-based HiP Chocolate brand, and hire a new finance director and head of marketing. Love Cocoa and HiP are now said to have a combined retail value of more than £10 million, with over 300% growth achieved in the past two years. The company’s founder, who is a descendant of Cadbury’s chocolate founder John Cadbury, said Love Cocoa had previously been bootstrapped since it was launched in 2016. The business has rejected investments numerous times, including on the TV show Dragons’ Den, but Cadbury said on …

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Herza chips on spoons

HERZA

Company News

HERZA Schokolade: Sunflower Protein-Based Chocolate Pieces for Food Service

HERZA Schokolade, a specialist in small chocolate pieces for food service, has created various organic, vegan milk chocolate pieces based on sunflower protein, in flavours such as amaranth or salty caramel. HERZA is one of the world’s leading suppliers of quality functional chocolate pieces for the food service industry, and the European market leader in small chocolate pieces for mueslis. The German producer, part of the Stern Wywiol Group, specialises in specialist small chocolate pieces and provides creative variety for muesli, snacks, ice cream and baked goods. Says the company, the main challenge with vegan chocolate is to obtain the familiar creamy and milky flavour of milk chocolate, stating that it has precisely achieved this goal with the new products.   BIOFACH 2023 At the …

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© Loving Earth

Fundraising

Australian Raw Chocolate Brand Loving Earth Raises $485K Via Equity Crowdfunding

Loving Earth, a plant-based raw chocolate producer from Melbourne, Australia, has raised $485,000 through an equity crowdfunding campaign conducted on Birchal. Over 300 investors participated in the campaign, and Loving Earth says it will use the funding to rebrand and launch new products. The company will also work to increase its global presence, recruit more team members, and expand via new distribution channels. Loving Earth first launched its organic plant-based chocolate in 2007, and initially saw huge demand. However, major chocolate brands soon began introducing similar products, creating tough competition. After facing further challenges during the pandemic, Loving Earth has only recently begun making a profit again. The company hopes the new funding will help it to get back on track. Fast-growing market A report …

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Whisky and Gianduja, WNWN Labs

© WNWN Food Labs

Sweets & Snacks

Cocoa-Free Chocolate From WNWN Selected by Milan’s Luxury Gift Service DLISH

WNWN Food Labs, which describes itself as the first-ever company to bring cocoa-free chocolate to market, announces a deal to supply its bean-free gianduja product to Milan-based luxury gift service DLISH.  The news closes a successful year for the London-based alt chocolate producer, which just last month announced the construction of a new facility in Hackney Wick, including space for R&D, manufacturing, a test kitchen, and offices, signifying an eight-fold increase in production space. Opulent gifts with prices into the thousands DLISH offers ultra high-end gourmet gift boxes of various themes from olive oil to alcoholic liqueurs to coffees and teas, selected by the company on the ground of sustainability, craftsmanship, and exceptional taste. As part of the DLISH collection, WNWN provides its gianduja; a …

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