Tailored coating solutions to deliver cost efficiency, without compromise.
Consumers love chocolate. But 76% of them also cite the cost-of-living crisis as a major concern that influences how they select food products.*
In today’s cocoa landscape, it’s more important than ever to deliver indulgence at an accessible price – without compromising on the rich, sensorial experience chocolate lovers expect. That’s why, to complement our large portfolio of chocolate and help customers find the sweet spot between cost-effectiveness and consumer delight, Cargill now offers an impressively large menu of alternatives to chocolate.
The range features solutions for all the key applications for chocolate; including Chocolate Confectionery, Bakery, Ice Cream, Dairy Desserts, and Snacks & Cereals.
*Source: Cargill’s proprietary TrendTracker 2024 consumer research
Discover the "Cost-effective delights" range:
- Chocolate with <5% CBE*: Achieve the full chocolate labeling and chocolate sensory experience – now with <5% CBE* – offering a smart balance between indulgence and cost optimization.
- NEW CBE-based super coatings: Offer your end-consumers the sensorial experience they crave, while significantly reducing costs.
- Standard coatings: Maximize your margin while providing your consumers a delightful sensory experience for everyday treats.
- NEW Nextcoa™ Confectionery alternative to chocolate: Made with grape seeds and sunflower instead of cocoa, enjoy a product offering a deliciously satisfying experience, supported by a compelling planet-friendly story that resonates with today’s conscious consumers.
*CBE = Cocoa Butter Equivalent
The advantages
Cargill’s impressively large menu of solutions is designed to complement one another, each offering distinct advantages across key dimensions:
Sensory experience
All our solutions are crafted to deliver a delightful sensory experience. While each recipe offers a unique profile, some – like chocolate with <5% CBE – are indistinguishable from chocolate in taste and texture.
Labeling flexibility
We offer a broad spectrum of labeling options to help you meet your product positioning goals. From solutions that can be labeled simply as “chocolate” to innovative alternatives that support chocolate (powder) or cocoa claims, we provide the flexibility to align with your brand strategy.
Compatibility with cocoa butter
Our CBE-based super coatings, chocolate with <5% CBE, and some of our confectionery alternatives to chocolate are fully compatible with cocoa butter. This compatibility helps prevent common issues like softening, fat bloom, and graininess.
Tempering requirements
While traditional chocolate requires tempering, several of our solutions – including standard coatings, ice cream-specific coatings, and some confectionery alternatives to chocolate – do not. This eliminates the need for tempering equipment and simplifies production.
Pricing
Each solution is priced according to its unique characteristics and benefits. Among them, our standard coatings stand out as the most cost-effective option in our portfolio, offering excellent value without compromising on quality.
Expert videos on cost-effective delights
Your coatings co-creation partner
Cargill’s strength is built on over 80 years of experience in coatings & fillings and 45 years in chocolate. Today, we’re the only large-scale producer of coatings & fillings to combine global fat, sweeteners, and cocoa expertise. This enables us to offer more than 400 recipes for our customers.
Cargill recently added 60% capacity to our Deventer coatings & fillings plant. The upgraded facility features a segregated line for compounds without nuts, separate from a line for products containing hazelnut.
Our customers rely on this knowhow to help in their new product development and ensure that existing product enhancements come to life.
Additionally, they can work with our technicians on everything from recipe development to on-site support at your plant, as well as an expert sensory panel at our House of Chocolate® facility in Mouscron (Belgium).
“The launch of Cargill’s broad ‘cost-effective delights’ toolbox means that we now offer all kinds of different pricing options for you, our customer. Thanks to our unique process, it’s now possible to make a “chocolate” claim when using some of our compounds in full compliance with EU labeling legislation.”
Penelope Alexandre, FSQR Regulatory Affairs Leader – EMEA Cocoa, Chocolate and Gourmet
Delivering on sensory appeal
80% of consumers repurchase a product because of its sensory appeal (smell, flavor, texture).** Guaranteeing repurchase demands a delightful consumer experience. That’s why we design the sensorial profile of your product just the way your consumers will want and love it!
We have conducted extensive sensory research on alternatives to chocolate to uncover the secrets behind flavor, texture, and overall enjoyment.
**Cargill™ HEARTBEAT: *1,160 consumers from Dairy Alt, Meat Alt from ~ 11,500 consumers (Categories – chocolate confectionery, bakery, ice cream, dairy alt, meat alt).
Let’s find the sweet spot together!
It’s still possible to delight your consumers while protecting your margin with Cargill’s tailored coatings solutions.
As the only large-scale player with specialty fats, chocolate, cocoa powder and coatings & fillings under one roof, combined with strong sensory and consumer science knowledge and openness to customization, Cargill is best placed to craft winning recipes. For instance, our Gerkens® cocoa powders offer endless possibilities – from adding color intensity to distinctive signature tastes.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to delight your consumers while protecting your margins. Reach out to our experts now for a coatings call. Let’s find the sweet spot together with cost-effective delights!