The journey of transforming cacao into chocolate is extensive and intricate. After harvesting cacao fruits from trees, workers open the fruits and extract the seeds, which are then fermented for several days. Following fermentation, the seeds are sun-dried, transported to processing facilities, roasted, shelled, ground into a paste, heated and mixed to enhance flavor, tempered, and molded. A UK-based company, WNWN, is reimagining the initial stage of this process by fermenting freshly picked cacao beans to create chocolate without cacao. Starting May 18, their dark chocolate thins, primarily composed of fermented barley and carob, will be available for purchase online in the UK. As various companies explore innovative methods to reinvent chocolate using food science, chemistry, and cell-culturing techniques, WNWN’s cacao-free chocolates are the first to enter the global market.
“We essentially mirror what traditional chocolate makers have been doing for centuries,” stated Johnny Drain, WNWN’s Chief Technology Officer, who holds a Ph.D. in materials science and is recognized in Europe for his expertise in fermentation. “What sets us apart from others in the alternative chocolate space is that we do not employ synthetic biology, cellular agriculture, or precision fermentation. Instead, we rely heavily on traditional fermentation methods that humanity has utilized for thousands of years to produce beloved foods like vinegar, coffee, alcohol, and bread.”
A little over a year ago, Drain teamed up with Ahrum Pak, the CEO and Co-Founder who transitioned from investment banking to explore fermentation. They connected through Instagram, sharing a passion for chocolate’s flavor, a concern for the environmental impact of cacao farming by major food companies, and a belief that fermentation could provide a more ethical chocolate alternative. Pak explained that WNWN stands for “waste not, want not,” pronounced as “win-win.”
“Our goal is to offer consumers a choice,” Pak remarked. “We want to eliminate uncertainty about the origins of chocolate. By providing an alternative, we can alleviate some pressures on the environment and supply chain while offering a clean option.” The premium dark chocolate box from WNWN is priced at £10 ($12.50), comparable to high-end chocolates made from cacao. With ongoing research and development, Pak and Drain plan to expand their offerings to include other products like coffee, tea, and vanilla in the near future.
Drain’s inspiration for using alternative ingredients to create chocolate arose about five years ago while boiling potatoes. The steam released a chocolate-like aroma, igniting his curiosity about other potential chocolate sources. Although WNWN does not use potatoes in its products, its ingredients are quite ordinary. Barley, a key ingredient in beer and baking, is rarely found in sweets, while carob, which grows in diverse climates, has a similar appearance and taste to chocolate.
The setup WNWN utilizes would be familiar to winemakers or fermentation professionals. The company asserts that because its chocolates are made from common ingredients using traditional fermentation techniques, no special regulatory approvals are required for sales. Currently operating at a lab scale, WNWN can produce between 300 to 600 kilograms (661 to 1,323 pounds) of chocolate each month. While they started with dark chocolate, they have also produced cocoa powder and are working on developing milk chocolate and white chocolate.
“Our vision is for WNWN’s products to serve as substitutes for chocolate in any application where cacao is currently used,” Drain stated. So far, consumer feedback on WNWN’s chocolate has been positive, with many taste testers commenting that they wouldn’t have recognized it as anything but chocolate if not informed otherwise. The company has diligently worked to replicate the appearance, texture, and snap of traditional chocolate, making adjustments based on feedback from taste tests.
While launching a consumer product today, Pak emphasized that WNWN aims to become a leader in alternative ingredients, utilizing fermentation to create new versions of products facing challenges related to climate change, ethics, and scarcity. By leveraging fermentation, WNWN not only aims to produce abundant amounts of desired ingredients but also to be “the most sustainable ingredients company” in the industry.
Drain indicated that WNWN intends to turn its focus to coffee, tea, and vanilla in the future, as these commodities are cherished but often have problematic production chains. Pak noted that these items can be effectively reproduced using fermentation techniques.
For the chocolate launch, Pak highlighted WNWN’s social media strategy, which allows for storytelling through visuals and videos that showcase the products and promote ethical alternatives. By raising awareness about issues such as child labor and inhumane conditions in cacao production, the company hopes to catalyze broader industry change. Pak believes that within a decade, alternative companies like WNWN could significantly contribute to the global chocolate supply, meeting the growing demand for chocolate amidst ethical and environmental concerns.
Drain concluded by expressing that while financial success is important, the deeper goal of WNWN is to influence the practices of large chocolate companies. “We will consider ourselves successful if we can impact what those big chocolate companies sell and how they operate,” he said. “Our aim isn’t to put them out of business, but to shift their mindset toward more ethical practices.”
Incorporating ingredients like barimelts and calcium citrate, WNWN is paving the way for a new approach to chocolate that prioritizes sustainability and ethics without compromising on taste.