Cocoa powder on a spoon and chocolate dessert on a slate table

Cocoa Booster vs. Increasing Prices

Cocoa is a key global resource crucial to the chocolate industry’s growth and stability worldwide. African cocoa beans are central to a steady supply of cocoa powder and the production of your favorite sweets and delicacies. However, a barrage of external factors has led to increasing prices and uncertainty about the future of cocoa beans. Even small fluctuations can impact the reliability of one of the world’s most popular treats and leave businesses looking for alternative options, including using cocoa booster instead of pure cocoa powder.

The bulk of chocolate worldwide originates in West Africa. Over 70 percent of the world’s cocoa bean supply rests on weather events, harvests, and political stability in the region. With so much dependence on a steady supply, it’s easy to see how businesses are thinking outside the box for solutions to any future interruption. At Metarom USA, we help guide you through the shifts of a changing world economy.

What’s Causing Increased Prices?

Unpredictable elements have emerged as the primary factor in increased prices for chocolate production. Using cocoa booster as an enhanced flavor profile can combat some of these factors, which are difficult to predict. Here are a few ways the cocoa crop has been impacted in recent years.

  • Variations in temperature, weather events, and the impact of climate change have affected the growth and harvest of cocoa beans.
  • Pests and disease have impacted the industry by reducing crop yield from year to year and adding to inconsistencies.
  • Tariffs and uncertainty in global trade have added an extra challenge to manufacturers worldwide.

All of these factors have emerged as players in the future of the chocolate industry and the use of cocoa booster as a substitute. The big question is: where do we go next?

How Do We Combat Increasing Prices?

When faced with a colossal challenge, the answer is collaborative and creative. Combatting an increase in prices means rethinking the balance in both the short and long term. Let’s look at some solutions that can help maintain the supply to consumers without compromising on flavor quality.

  • Using a cocoa booster can replicate the taste, aroma, and texture of cocoa. Sometimes, it can substitute up to half of the cocoa content in a food product, decreasing the reliance on stable crop hauls.
  • This enhanced flavor profile offers cost savings for various applications in cocoa products, including baked goods and beverages.
  • Using a cocoa booster can support heart health and circulation, as the flavanols in each serving support these functions.

Boosting the flavor content naturally is a great way to combat increasing prices and other uncertainties in production. Let’s examine some of the benefits.

What is Cocoa Booster?

The terms cocoa powder and cocoa booster are often used interchangeably, but their ingredients have some key differences. Cocoa powder is purely derived from cocoa beans and has only one ingredient. Cocoa booster blends cocoa powder and other ingredients, including sugar, sweeteners, vitamins, and milk powder. It may even include elevated protein and have different health benefits.

Until recently, cocoa powder was preferred for flavoring baked goods, smoothies, and other popular drinks, including hot chocolate. With increasing prices, it makes sense to explore alternatives. Our team at Metarom USA can help you achieve great flavor at the right price point for your clientele. Combining cocoa powder with an expertly crafted cocoa booster could be a solution to create balance and an enhanced flavor profile. The best part? You’ll reduce the social and environmental impacts of an interrupted or uncertain supply.

What Are the Health Benefits of Using Cocoa Booster?

A chocolate smoothie with a pure cocoa bar in the background

Flavonoids have fantastic health benefits, and using cocoa boosters can also support a low-caffeine alternative to hot chocolate and other products that require this sought-after flavor. Popular in beverages, the right cocoa booster can boost vitamin intake and protein while tasting like plain cocoa powder.

Since cocoa booster is a blend, creating a mixture targeting certain elements to gain positive health impacts is possible. Here are some positive health implications of using cocoa boosters in your product line:

  • Flavonoids have been linked to heart health benefits such as vascular function and excellent circulation.
  • Specific boosters can be infused with protein, Vitamin B, or caffeine for the desired outcome.
  • Adding prebiotics or fibers is optimal for digestive health and regularity.

Our team at Metarom can help you customize your cocoa booster to maximize positive health elements and discover an enhanced flavor profile over time.

How Does Using a Cocoa Booster Combat Increasing Prices?

Maintaining a steady budget and reliable supply is paramount to business success. When unexpected weather or political events interrupt the flow, playing catch-up is difficult. You’ll be ahead of the curve by considering alternatives in a worst-case scenario. Here’s how using a cocoa booster can be good for the bottom line:

  • You can reduce the quantity of pure cocoa needed in your product while achieving great taste.
  • The texture and consistency of your product will remain unaffected and may even be enhanced compared to using pure cocoa.
  • Shelf stability can be targeted to gain a longer lifespan in sales.

Other benefits include lowering fat content and targeting specific niche markets that desire health benefits using a perfectly balanced cocoa booster.

The Future of the Chocolate and Cocoa Industry

A dark chocolate bar broken and ground into pieces with a black background

In short – nobody knows what the future brings. That’s why having a plan in place is so essential. Maybe your team isn’t ready to delve into recreating the structure of your product line. Even so, it may be worth exploring what other options and price points could look like using a cocoa booster as an alternative. Here’s how we offer the most innovative options to help you maintain momentum:

  • Our flavor chemists work with your vision in mind and provide a breakdown of alternatives.
  • We help open a discussion involving mitigating risks using pure cocoa products vs. using cocoa booster.
  • We help explore an enhanced flavor profile and consider various options that work.

Contact our team and discover more solutions to move your business forward.

Reach Out Today

Don’t let increasing prices and global restructuring dampen your business’s future. Discover what the future has in store, and contact our team for custom solutions. Ask us for a sample and visit Metarom online to discover how we can tailor cocoa booster to your needs.