bake - January/February 2023 - 36

chocolate & decorating
Upcycling
Cacaofruit
The refreshing cacaofruit conquers the taste buds of consumers
in new drinks and products. From chocolate to health drinks,
three years after the introduction of this new food and drink category,
consumers discover the cacaofruit. The delicious, zesty
cacaofruit satisfies the need of millennials and Gen Z for food
and drinks to be tasty and nutritious, as well as be good for the
planet and its people.
By upcycling one of the most discarded fruits on the planet,
the cacaofruit can be the most effective fruit to prevent global
warming.
Cacaofruit is one of the most harvested, yet most discarded,
fruits on the planet. If people don't live close to the equator, usually
they do not know what a cacaofruit looks or tastes like. That
is about to change, since food manufacturers have managed to
master the process of cultivating and preserving the fruit to turn
it into delicious food and drinks in the US and beyond.
Rise of the cacaofruit
One of the leading brands responsible for the rise of the cacaofruit
in food and drinks is the global cacaofruit expert Cabosse
Naturals, a Barry Callebaut brand. The world's leading chocolate
manufacturer turns every 5th cocoa bean into a delicious cocoa
or chocolate manifestion.
In 2019, the Cabosse Naturals brand introduced a next generation
of cacaofruit food and drinks by introducing a range of
ingredients by making use of the entire cacaofruit, including its
beans, peel and fruity pulp and juice. The ingredients, with their
fresh and fruity taste, are rich in nutrients such as fibers, protein
and magnesium.
Consumer brands and artisans like to include the cacaofruit in
their products to bring a new, fresh, fruity taste to their portfo36
< JAN - FEB 2023 | bakemag.com
lio in juices, smoothies, frozen desserts, bakery, pastry products,
snacks, all the way to chocolate.
Driving impact with upcycled cacaofruit
Annually about 14 million tons of cacaofruit are harvested around
the world. Whereas previously 70% of the cacaofruit was thrown
away (as much as 10 million tons), since only the seeds (beans)
could be used to craft chocolate and cocoa creations. Now also
the dried peel and the fresh and juicy pulp are crafted into delicious
ingredients.
The Upcycled Food Association, whose mission is to prevent
food waste, calculates that 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, an area bigger than France and
Germany combined.
According to Project Drawdown, the global leader in ranking
climate solutions, preventing food waste is the single most
effective solution to prevent global warming. Cacaofruit is the
most impactful fruit to fully upcycle since 70% can be saved. To
put it in perspective: overall about 30% of food and 50% of fruits
and vegetables goes to waste.
Introductions in the US and beyond
Three years after the introduction of the next-gen fruit category,
consumer and artisan brands in North America, the UK, Europe,
and Asia-Pacific are introducing cacaofruit in beverages
such as cocktails, mocktails, beers, energy drinks and health
drinks and in in foods like ice cream, snacks and chocolate.
In the US, one of the first brands to introduce the fruit in a consumer-facing
product was Capao with cacaofruit snacks. Blue
Stripes introduced a range of cacaofruit waters in Whole Foods
BARRY CALLEBAUT
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bake - January/February 2023

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