Wilbur® chocolate offers an ideal product line for the growing exotic chocolate flavor pairings market

Chocolate’s popularity is only increasing and so are the ways people are consuming it. Combining chocolate with familiar and complementary flavors like mint or peanut butter has driven these flavor pairings to market dominance. Product launches and line extensions, every year, reinforce the popularity of these classic pairings. However, a new and far-reaching trend is emerging that combines more adventurous flavors with chocolate. Whether it’s a pairing of savory, spicy or other unexpected flavors with chocolate, unusual flavor pairings or “infusions” offer opportunities in the confectionery world.

Whether it’s a pairing of savory, spicy or other unexpected flavors with chocolate, unusual flavor pairings or “infusions” offer opportunities in the confectionery world.

Stand out from standard chocolate offerings

Pairing confectionery with unusual flavors creates products that stand out from standard chocolate offerings. “68% of consumers say when it comes to food, they’re always on the lookout for something new”. Also,“28% of consumers like to try trendy foods and beverages”, up 7 points from 2000.¹ The introduction of ingredients such as chili to chocolate, initially perceived to be niche, has become a more common flavor among premium chocolate brands.

Savory chocolate flavor infusions will become increasingly popular. Already, bacon and chocolate, a sweet and savory combination is showing strong market appeal. “This flavor burst on the national chocolate scene in 2007 with the launch of Vosges Haut-Chocolat’s Mo’s Chocolate Bacon Bar.”² “New salty chocolate pairing products were very much in evidence at the 2010 NASFT Fancy Food Show, including four products that won prestigious Sofi Awards (Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation).”³

Pairing chocolate with fruit is nothing new, but instead of cherry and raspberry flavors, look for pomegranate, plum or even pumpkin. Manufacturers are also choosing to add citrus to chocolate as it can add a refreshing element that can cut a product’s sugary sweetness, especially when the citrus has sour or tart notes.

Distinctive cheeses such as aged cheddar and parmesan can take chocolate pairings to an unexpected acceptance level. “Cheese and chocolate first appeared in 2007 with two new SKUs, then six launched in 2008 and eleven in 2009.”² One of the first cheese chocolate truffles to achieve national stardom used blue cheese, organic milk chocolate and toasted almonds.

Cargill’s Peter’s® Chocolate brand

Cargill’s Peter’s® chocolate brand is ideal for creating chocolate products targeted at the flavor pairing or infusion market as the line includes a variety of chocolate coatings, compound coatings and specialty products.   Peter’s® uses high quality cocoa beans to produce chocolate coatings. Peter’s® roasts beans and manufactures chocolate liquor to ensure quality throughout the entire chocolate-making process.

Peter’s® Cambra™ bittersweet chocolate is made with 72% cocoa solids blended with European-style low roast liquor. It is aged to produce a mellow, balanced flavor and pairs well with hard parmesan or a sweet, dried date.

Peter’s® Malan™ milk chocolate is well balanced with 40% cocoa solids. It delivers a lightly caramelized, distinctly natural flavor profile. It’s a great match for cardamom or other exotic spices.

As a premier supplier of cocoa and chocolate ingredients worldwide, Cargill’s Peter’s® Chocolate helps confectionery customers create products that satisfy changing consumer demands. Our technical expertise in chocolate formulation and confection preparation makes Cargill the right partner for developing new indulgent chocolate flavor pairing products.

¹Packaged Facts, Marketing & New Product Trends Chocolate Market in the U.S. 2010
²GfK Roper Reports US 
³www.specialtyfood.com