A Canadian food-ingredient company is exploring an unusual way to help manufacturers manage cocoa costs: using recycled coffee grounds.
RFINE has launched KAFFIKA®, an ingredient made from brewed coffee grounds that can replace up to 60% of cocoa powder in selected food formulations. The company says the product is gluten-free and is intended for use by manufacturers producing bakery items, confectionery and beverages.
The launch comes as chocolate and food manufacturers continue to face pressure from changing cocoa prices and the need to manage production costs without losing product appeal.
Rather than replacing chocolate entirely, KAFFIKA is positioned as a cocoa extender. This gives manufacturers another formulation option when developing products that use cocoa powder.
The ingredient is being introduced in Canada and the European Union, with the company targeting food manufacturers looking for alternative ways to manage ingredient costs.
The development also highlights a wider innovation trend: food companies are finding new uses for by-products from other industries and turning them into functional ingredients.
What this could mean for chocolate manufacturing
If the ingredient performs well in commercial applications, it could give manufacturers another tool for developing cocoa-containing products while managing ingredient expenses.
It also raises an interesting question for the industry: how far can manufacturers reduce cocoa content while maintaining the taste and quality consumers expect?
From Macao Cacao — bringing you developments shaping the global chocolate industry.
