Inside Big Chocolate’s Cocoa Plan B

Big Confectionery and cocoa alternatives – overview

• Cocoa alternatives have entered mainstream confectionery amid record cocoa prices
• Mars and Nestlé have launched products using cocoa-free ChoViva
• Lindt is investing in cultivated cocoa alongside cocoa-free ingredients
• Barry Callebaut is scaling alternatives through global commercial partnerships
• Alternative cocoa aims to improve resilience rather than replace cocoa entirely

Cocoa alternatives have officially entered the mainstream.

Once confined to a handful of start-ups and innovation showcases, they can now be found in the formulations of some of the biggest names in the business.

Why? Because record high cocoa prices and growing concerns over supply chain resilience mean manufacturers can no longer rely on the much-loved commodity.

So who’s doing what in alt cocoa? We take a look at the industry leaders leading the way.

Mars, Inc.

One of the biggest signs that cocoa alternatives are here to stay is that the biggest confectionery company in the world has begun experimenting with them.

For years, the confectionery giant’s response to cocoa supply challenges focused on futureproofing cocoa, not replacing it.

It’s invested heavily in climate-resilient farming, agroforestry, farmer training and supply chain traceability, while also committing to a segregated global cocoa supply chain by 2030.

But earlier this year, Mars made its first significant move into cocoa alternatives, launching Balisto trail mix containing ChoViva, a cocoa-free chocolate alternative developed by Planet A Foods.

ChoViva is produced using fermented and roasted sunflower seeds, creating a chocolate-like ingredient that can be used in confectionery applications without cocoa.

Nestlé

Of all the major confectionery players exploring alternative cocoa, Nestlé was among the first to put a cocoa-free ingredient into a mainstream consumer brand.

In March this year, the food and beverage giant launched Choco Crossies Snack Vibes, featuring cocoa-free chocolate alternative, ChoViva.

Rather than positioning cocoa-free chocolate as a direct replacement for traditional chocolate, Nestlé has framed the technology as another tool to help futureproof confectionery portfolios against supply disruptions, climate challenges and commodity price volatility.

As the world’s biggest CPG, Nestlé’s adoption of cocoa-free ingredients sends a strong signal that it’s no longer about whether alternative cocoa has a future but how quickly it can scale.

Lindt & Sprüngli

Of all the premium chocolate makers, Lindt has emerged as one of the most active players in alternative cocoa.

The Swiss chocolate maker first signalled its interest in the category back in 2023 when it partnered with Planet A Foods to launch a limited-edition vegan chocolate bar containing cocoa-free chocolate alternative, ChoViva. The collaboration gave Lindt an early opportunity to test consumer appetite for cocoa-free ingredients within one of its own branded products.

Since then, the company has broadened its focus beyond cocoa-free ingredients and into next-generation cocoa production technologies.

In 2025, Lindt became a strategic investor in Swiss food-tech company Food Brewer, a start-up developing cocoa through plant cell culture. The company grows cocoa cells in bioreactors rather than on farms, creating cocoa ingredients designed to deliver the taste and functionality of conventional cocoa while reducing exposure to climate risk, land constraints and supply chain volatility.

What’s more, the investment isn’t just about financial backing. Food Brewer says Lindt is providing technical expertise and industry know-how to help refine the technology and accelerate commercialisation.

Lindt’s strategy differs from some of its peers as it’s not focusing exclusively on cocoa-free replacements. Instead it’s exploring multiple options, including fermented ingredient systems such as ChoViva and bio-identical cocoa produced through cell cultivation. This multi-pronged approach reflects a growing belief that no single solution will solve the cocoa crisis, and that securing the future of chocolate will require a combination of technologies capable of improving resilience, reducing risk and supplementing conventional cocoa supplies.

Barry Callebaut

As the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer, and supplier to brands including Nestlé, Hershey, Mondelēz and Mars, Barry Callebaut is in a unique position.

And it’s used that position to ensure all opportunities are explored.

Its most significant move came in 2025, when it announced a long-term commercial partnership with Planet A Foods, maker of cocoa-free chocolate alternative ChoViva.

Under the agreement, Barry Callebaut is helping to scale and distribute ChoViva globally, giving manufacturers access to cocoa-free chocolate solutions through one of the industry’s largest supply networks.

It’s also exploring the next frontier of cocoa innovation, partnering with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) to investigate cell-cultured cocoa, a technology that grows cocoa cells in bioreactors rather than on farms. The goal is to develop additional sources of cocoa that are less exposed to climate shocks while maintaining the taste and functionality consumers expect from chocolate.

The company has stressed that alternative cocoa is not intended to replace conventional cocoa altogether. Instead, it sees solutions such as ChoViva, cultivated cocoa and precision-fermentation technologies as additional tools that can help safeguard chocolate production in the future.

Mondelēz International

While some confectionery players are exploring cocoa-free ingredients, Mondelēz International is taking a slightly different approach, investing in technologies designed to supplement – rather than replace – conventional cocoa.

The maker of Cadbury, Milka and Toblerone has emerged as one of the highest-profile backers of Celleste Bio, an Israeli start-up developing cell-cultured cocoa.

It participated in the company’s funding round and has worked closely with Celleste as a strategic partner, as both companies seek solutions to the cocoa sector’s growing climate and supply challenges.

That collaboration reached a major milestone in April, when Mondelēz unveiled what it described as the world’s first milk chocolate prototypes made using cultivated cocoa butter produced by Celleste Bio. According to the companies, the cocoa butter is bio-identical to conventional cocoa butter, delivering the same texture, melt profile and sensory characteristics as traditional chocolate.

Unlike cocoa-free alternatives made from ingredients such as sunflower seeds or grape seeds, Celleste’s technology cultivates cocoa cells directly, allowing manufacturers to produce cocoa ingredients without relying entirely on traditional farming. The goal is not to eliminate cocoa growers, but to create a more resilient and diversified supply chain in the face of climate change, disease pressure and ongoing market volatility.

Having said that, Mondelēz has shown interest in cocoa-free innovation through its CoLab Tech accelerator programme, which selected UK start-up Win-Win, a developer of cocoa-free chocolate alternatives, to participate in its inaugural cohort.

Ferrero Group and The Hershey Company

Ferrero Group and The Hershey Company are yet to announce a major commercial alt-cocoa launch or investment on the scale of Mars, Nestlé, Mondelēz or Lindt.

Their public focus remains largely on conventional cocoa resilience and sustainability, although both are operating in a market increasingly shaped by cocoa alternatives, so we may see that focus shift in the future.