Nestlé has introduced a game-changing process that makes use of up to 30% more of the cocoa fruit—not just the beans, but also the pulp, placenta, and husk. This patented method could be a big relief for the struggling cocoa industry, which has been battling disease, climate change, and skyrocketing prices.
Traditionally, chocolate is made only from the beans inside cocoa pods, which are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground. Nestlé’s new approach collects the entire pod content as a wet mass, allowing it to ferment naturally and preserve that deep chocolate taste. Once fermented, the mass is roasted, dried, and turned into chocolate flakes—ready for use without losing flavour.
Louise Barrett, head of Nestlé’s R&D Confectionery Centre in York, UK, called the move “ground-breaking”, highlighting how it cuts waste while still delivering the chocolate consumers love.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. The cocoa sector is under pressure from swollen shoot virus, unpredictable weather, and global shortages that have driven prices to record highs. In fact, Nestlé previously had to adjust recipes—at one point even dropping the word “chocolate” from a white KitKat in the UK when cocoa butter content fell below the legal minimum.
Beyond tackling shortages, the new method could also benefit farmers by reducing waste and improving efficiency. With Nestlé’s York facility processing around 12,000 tonnes of cocoa mass, the potential for scaling is huge. More efficient extraction could also free up farmers to focus on vital tasks like pruning, which boosts yield.
Barrett explained: “With climate change increasingly affecting cocoa yields, we’re exploring innovative solutions to help farmers maximise the potential of their harvests.”
For now, the process remains in its pilot phase, but Nestlé is looking at how to expand it across its global operations. If successful, this could reshape chocolate production while giving farmers and consumers a sweeter future.
