German-based alternative ingredients business, Planet A Foods has extended its portfolio, with a new cocoa powder replacer in response to ongoing volatility in wider cocoa market prices, reports Neill Barston.

The Munich firm, which is behind the Choviva brand, which has partnered with Barry Callebaut enabling significant upscaling of its range of products, believes there is strong demand for its expanded product offering.

Its Cocoa Booster series comes as cocoa prices have risen a report 70% since February 2026, with prices of conventional cocoa anticipated to be above $6,000 well into next year – prompting exploration of other alternatives for the global confectionery sector 

The Munich-based ingredient company follows ChoViva with the launch of its second alternative ingredient – a functional single-ingredient replacer for cocoa powder

As the company noted, while the last crisis hit cocoa butter hardest, the pressure is now shifting to cocoa powder – the ingredient behind most cocoa-flavoured biscuits, cakes, cereals and drinks.

Furthermore, at the same time, GLP-1 medication is changing how people eat: users consume 15–20% fewer calories and favour smaller, more nutrient-dense portions. For manufacturers of cocoa-based foods, both trends land on the same recipes. 

Planet A Foods deal with Barry Callebaut for US development of its Choviva brand was among core highlights from this year’s show in Las Vegas. L-R Dr Max Marquart (Planet A Foods), Laura Bergan, marketing director, Barry Callebaut and Pic: Neill Barston

According to the company, the Cocoa Booster comes in three profiles – natural, alkalized and dark – designed to match the taste and colour of the respective cocoa powder and to work in existing recipes without process changes. In applications, it can replace cocoa powder partially or up to 100% in cookies, muffins, sponge cake, pudding creams, fat-based cream fillings and beverages. The ingredient is made from an EU-sourced raw material, produced in the EU and allergen-free.

“When we spoke to R&D teams, the message was consistent: they had tested alternatives, but existing powder extenders either brought an off-taste, matched only the colour but not the taste, or came with added sugars and flavours. We set out to solve this with one ingredient that works in the recipe they already have – and adds fibre at the same time.” – Dr. Sara Marquart, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Planet A Foods.

Moreover, the business, which produced its ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate from sunflower seeds, has now seen its solution used in more than 230 products in 12 countries.

The Cocoa Booster builds on the same technology platform and is the company’s first solution for cocoa powder – taking its approach from chocolate applications to the wider range of confectionery applications.

As Dr. Maximilian Marquart, Co-Founder & CEO added, its latest series is designed to complement its existing ranges, and there is a sense that there is a strong demand for the series.

“ChoViva and our Cocoa Booster are built on the same platform and the same know-how, but they address different applications: ChoViva is an alternative to liquid chocolate, the Cocoa Booster replaces cocoa powder. Our Cocoa Booster is the first extension of our portfolio since ChoViva, and we see the two as complementary,”  adding that both series will be available through its partnership with Barry Callebaut and its sales representatives.

In terms of engaging with consumers, as with any new product area, there is a good deal of education that is required to drive growth and understanding of their potential.

According to the team behind the product, the series has strong potential in a wide range of consumer markets.

“We are an ingredient company, so most consumers meet our ingredients in our customers’ products. We work with our customers, who communicate the benefits of their products to consumers worldwide. That is where much of the education happens, because consumers hear about it from brands they already know.

“But we still talk to consumers directly about ChoViva. On our consumer-facing channels, such as Instagram and TikTok, and through consumer-facing press, we explain what alternative ingredients can do, especially on sustainability. According to calculations by Mondra, ChoViva causes 73.6% fewer CO2 emissions than average milk chocolate in Germany, ” ads Maximilian Marquart, of the series, noting that the development of the cocoa booster and its precise make-up is not being disclosed for commercial reasons, but it is based on natural ingredients.

He added: “We don’t disclose the raw material at this stage due to competitive reasons. What I can share is that we start from a flour, which goes through a fermentation-inspired process and is then roasted. Finally, it is milled to the particle size manufacturers are used to from cocoa powder, around 40 microns. We build on the know-how and IP from the ChoViva process.”