Global demand for vegan chocolate has been growing by around 15 per cent annually since 2017. With this growth expected to continue for the next 10 years, no-one is talking about a short-term trend.
Purchasing behaviour shows a clear picture. In 2022, more than USD 1 billion worth of vegan chocolates crossed our shop counters. The biggest markets are North America, followed by Europe and Latin America.
But in terms of supply, we are only at the beginning. The choice of vegan (milk) chocolate is still modest. According to a study by Mintel, only 85 new products have been launched in Europe in the last three years, including dark chocolate.
Could this be because producing a tasty alternative that comes close to milk chocolate still poses a challenge?
HOCHDORF has been writing chocolate history for over 125 years. With a market share of 70 percent, we are the most significant manufacturer of roller-dried whole milk powder for the Swiss chocolate industry; we contribute to the good reputation of Swiss chocolate worldwide. Milk powder has a significant influence on the taste, melting, texture and characteristic snapping sound of chocolate.
Drawing on our expertise in powder drying for the chocolate industry, developing an almost identical alternative to milk powder was the obvious next step for us.
After a year of intensive work, extended test productions and market surveys, we developed VIOPLUS, a novel modular concept that meets our high standards. According to initial positive feedback, it also meets the expectations of the chocolate industry.
The plant-based mixture is based on HOCHDORF's drying and mixing technology. It is manufactured in Switzerland using the same roller or spray drying equipment we use to produce milk powders for the chocolate industry, which ensures identical texture, structure and function.
VIOPLUS offers a compelling chocolate experience, as the taste, colour and melting qualities are almost indistinguishable from conventional milk chocolate. The same applies to the texture and consistency.
The heat in the drying process neutralises the taste of the fava beans, eliminating the natural bitterness and antinutrients of the raw material.
In technical terms, VIOPLUS can be processed just like milk powder, ensuring absolute convenience for manufacturers. No additional components are needed. In almost every chocolate application, our plant-based product can be used 1:1 as a substitute for milk powder – in terms of both its features and how it is processed. The nutritional values correspond to those of LEDOR 18-21.
VIOPLUS is based on a modular concept that builds on the three macronutrients carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Depending on the choice and percentage of fat, protein and carbohydrate sources, this vegan alternative can be individually adapted, allowing manufacturers to produce softer or harder chocolates for specific applications.
VIOPLUS is the perfect alternative to milk powder. It offers manufacturers a way to produce exquisite vegan chocolates with all the properties of milk chocolate.
| Our roller-dried VIOPLUS 18-21 W:
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| Our spray-dried VIOPLUS 18-21 S:
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You can find more information at https://www.hochdorf.com/en/food-solutions/vegan-products/
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Interested to check out the 1:1 product match for yourself? We’d be delighted to send you a sample of our milk chocolate alternative to try.
Further information
Sources
1) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/vegan-chocolate-market
2) Mintel