New technology could revolutionize cocoa production

How does the process work?

The cocoa tree has rugby ball-shaped fruits, but so far only the inner seeds, the cocoa beans, have been used. These were fermented, dried, and then ground to produce cocoa, the raw material for chocolate. The rest of the crop was returned to nature as organic waste.

However, Nestlé developers pointed out that valuable components can also be found in the outer parts. The entire crop is transformed into a wet mass that undergoes natural maturation, thus releasing the characteristic aroma of cocoa. The mass is then dried and ground, and the resulting powder has a flavor that researchers say is similar to that of traditional cocoa.

Why is the development important?

Global warming and extreme weather conditions pose a serious challenge to cocoa production. In Ivory Coast and Ghana – the world’s two largest producers – in recent years, rains, drought and plant diseases have caused significant crop losses, which has led to a drastic increase in prices. Although commodity market prices have recently decreased, no lasting improvement is expected in the long term.

“Climate change is increasingly hindering cocoa production, which is why we have launched research into how to increase efficiency,” emphasized Louise Barrett, head of Nestlé’s UK research center.

The development is currently in the testing phase, but the company is already investigating how it could be applied on an industrial scale. If the technology works, it could not only make the supply of raw materials for chocolate production safer, but it could also represent progress in terms of sustainability, as waste would be reduced and crop utilization would increase.