As severe weather events have driven cacao prices up a staggering 65%, chocolate makers everywhere are feeling squeezed.

In February, Hershey announced job cuts with CEO Michele Buck indicating that price hikes could be next, “Given where cocoa prices are, we will be using every tool in our toolbox, including pricing, as a way to manage the business."

Some producers have dealt with skyrocketing ingredient costs by swapping out cocoa butter for cheaper alternatives like palm oil. Others, like Nestlé CEO Marc Schneider, see that as a risk, “In my opinion, messing with recipes and taste characteristics just because cocoa costs have increased would be a mistake."

So, what are chocolate makers to do? How can they reduce costs while maintaining the high-quality flavor customers expect?

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Flavor Balancing™  and Flavor Symmetry™  are the Key

Our proprietary Flavor Balancing technology is ideal for cost-conscious chocolate makers because Flavor Balancing empowers producers to broaden their sourcing to budget-friendly options while maintaining the same flavor profile, every time. With our Flavor Symmetry technology, we’re able to dry or conche cacao products at temperatures as low as 95 degrees F to preserve more of the complex, nuanced flavors characteristic of the cacao bean and protect the subtle notes of each origin. By removing undesirable flavor compounds at a molecular level, our technology empowers producers to broaden their sourcing to budget-friendly options while maintaining the same flavor profile, every time.

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Proven Results

Flavor Balancing has already proven its cost-saving abilities for a number of products. In wine trials, we’ve successfully recreated high-quality wines using increased ratios of less expensive ingredients. The Sommelier Company assessed note, palate, finish, and overall quality of 8 wines, finding flavor balanced, lower grade commercial wines scored higher than control blends and regularly outperformed the master blends.

In a coffee trial, three independent Certified Q graders tested five varieties of commercial and specialty grade coffee beans. After Flavor Balancing, the graders noted increases in sweetness, acidity, and body across all five bean varieties, upgrading them to the specialty category.

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‍Additional Cost Benefits

‍The cost advantages of our technology don’t stop at sourcing. What makes our technology truly remarkable is that it only relies on two machines, which operate significantly faster than standard chocolate manufacturing. While traditional methods take 5-21 days to produce chocolate, ours takes just 24 hours. That means it requires less energy, less labor, and less time to test and develop new products.

Plus, by consolidating all processes into Flavor Symmetry and Flavor Balancing, it reduces product loss, a factor that can significantly impact small and medium-scale producers.

The best part about these mechanical, non-additive solutions is that they’re scalable. Whether it's a small craft shop or household name, True Essence Foods technology can help any chocolate maker take on the crisis with confidence.  ‍

Learn more about Flavor Balancing here. To experience the power of the tech for yourself, contact us and we’ll process a sample of your beans.

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