REWE has become the first retailer in Europe to use ChoViva cacao-free chocolate in its private-label products. ChoViva is a cacao-free chocolate alternative created by start-up Planet A Foods. It tastes like chocolate but is made with oats and sunflower seeds. Discover how it is made and what the big plus is for people and the environment in this article featuring Managing Director of Private-Label Goods at REWE Group Marcel Weber.
The concept originated when the founders realised that most of the flavour of chocolate comes from the fermentation and roasting process rather than the raw cacao beans themselves. Processed similarly to cacao, but without using cacao beans, ChoViva boasts chocolaty aroma and flavour profiles. The innovative formulation and production also save on resources and offer additional advantages compared to cacao cultivation.
REWE launched its first products containing ChoViva in February, some as limited editions, under the brands ja! and REWE Beste Wahl at REWE stores, and the COVO, Granola, and Chocolà brands at PENNY.
Cacao is used as a raw material in many products, including confectionery, pastries, ice cream and dairy products. The supply chains for cacao are highly complex and associated with significant social and environmental risks. The REWE Group has long been committed to improving conditions in cacao-growing regions and achieving a more sustainable cacao supply chain. That’s why many REWE Group private-label products feature the Pro Planet label, indicating that the product was produced in a socially and ecologically more sustainable manner. By using ChoViva in its private-label formulations, the REWE Group now has another means of addressing supply chain risks. The cacao alternative, which is made from ingredients such as oats and sunflower seeds, is more ecological and socially sustainable than conventional chocolate production, requires fewer resources and is not reliant on world markets.
Background to the partnership with Planet A Foods
Start-ups whose products and services support transformative processes in the value chain are of particular interest to the REWE Group. For the REWE Group, the partnership with Planet A Foods is a real win-win for both parties. By using ChoViva in the formulations of popular private-label products from REWE and PENNY, the REWE Group is reducing the environmental and social risks associated with the cacao supply chain, making sourcing more sustainable and secure, and improving the carbon footprint of its products.
The exclusive and time-limited partnership is part of the REWE Group’s commitment to promoting start-ups. The aim is not to halt the company’s development, but rather to be a partner and coach for the young company.
ChoViva’s innovative credentials were also recently recognised at the ISM trade fair for sweets and snacks in Cologne, where Planet A Foods was selected by a jury of experts to win the internationally renowned innovation award New Product Showcase with its cacao alternative as well as the ISM Consumer Award with the product ja! Neapolitan wafers with ChoViva.
