Easter without cocoa: new chocolate from sunflower seeds inspired!

Easter without cocoa: new chocolate from sunflower seeds inspired!

chocolate is one of the most popular sweets worldwide that were once revered by the Maya as the "gift of God". But the enjoyment could soon become an expensive luxury. The pressure on cocoa prices is growing due to the climate crisis and some companies begin to find innovative solutions. An example of this is the French chocolaterie Abtey, which for the first time produces chocolate without cocoa at Easter. The reason for this experimental production lies in the rapidly increased cocoa prices and the associated scarcity, which is caused by climate academies such as drought or floods in West Africa. Like OE24 more than doubled.

The Chocolaterie Abtey reacts to the situation with a recipe from roasted and fermented sunflower seeds and grape seeds. Initial tastings convey that the result tastes surprisingly chocolate, although there are no cocoa beans. This innovative manufacturing method could become the new standard in view of the ongoing cocoa nappy. It remains to be seen how the market will develop, but the current research shows that the challenges in cocoa cultivation are significant.

climate crisis and cocoa cultivation

cocoa is mainly grown in Africa, especially in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. This reports ZDF . Small farmers are under enormous pressure, since even small weather deviations can drastically change harvesting. Studies have also proven that large companies such as Mars and Lindt appear in the cocoa supply chains. The consequences are devastating: While large chocolate manufacturers make high profits, the small producers often go away.

climate scientists point out that the prices for cocoa will continue to rise. Only in January 2024 did import prices increase by an incredible 73.4 % compared to the previous year. This development is reinforced by extreme weather events, monocultures and agricultural diseases such as the "Cocoa Swollen Shooting Virus Disease". Forecasts show that up to 90 % of the area in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire could be less suitable for cocoa cultivation by 2050. The challenges in cocoa cultivation may be more tight.

Sustainable alternatives and innovation spirit

The search for sustainable alternatives to conventional cocoa has already started. Sara and Maximilian Marquart from Planegg near Munich develop a sustainable chocolate variant based on sunflower seeds. This method could save up to 90 % of CO2 emissions because sunflowers can be built locally in Europe. This cocoa -free chocolate is already sold as a raw product to confectionery manufacturers and is used in cookies, mueslis and confectionery.

Another important step towards sustainable cocoa cultivation are agroforal systems that are funded in Ecuador. These systems combine cocoa cultivation with other plant species and increase the resistance of plants compared to the consequences of climate change. Organizations such as the WWF support these projects and work on establishing fairer and sustainable supply chains. After all, cocoa is not only a popular luxury food, but also one of the most traded agricultural raw materials worldwide.

The future of chocolate is on the brink and the pressure on traditional cocoa production will increase. Together with innovative approaches and the support of sustainable cultivation methods, a change that benefits both producers and consumers in the long term.