PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It takes a change of perspective on centuries of chocolate making to realize that 100% of what is in the cacaofruit is all that is needed to make a great chocolate. The simplest concepts are the most powerful ones, and the most difficult ones to achieve! First announced in September 2019, it took Cacao Barry’s expert teams almost 2 years to bring this concept to fruition, pursuing the goal to answer chefs’ high expectations of wholesome indulgence with no compromise on exceptional taste. Inspired by chefs and artisans worldwide, this endeavour was empowered further by the unique feedback received from an international group of more than 30 top chefs’ unprecedented joint creative journey.
We are proud to present WHOLEFRUIT chocolate and its first zesty and fruity expression: EVOCAO, designed by and for chef artisans.
WholeFruit chocolate is a major innovation in the world of chocolate which perfectly answers the current trends & aspirations of wholesome indulgence.
Chocolate as nature intended
Much more than an innovation, WHOLEFRUIT is a revolution. Its creation and global availability is the result of a long reflection of the Cacao Barry teams with the input of the best chefs in the world on the way to rethink the chocolate as a whole and to consider the “cacao” as what it actually is: a fruit!
WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ is simply the first pure expression of chocolate as nature intended, revealed by chefs.
Chef Ramon Morató, Creative Director of Cacao Barry sees WHOLEFRUIT chocolate as more than just a chocolate, it is a movement. "The values associated with this chocolate are a way of understanding life through sustainability, waste reduction, upcycling and a healthier diet to have better care for our planet. During the process of creating different recipes, we integrated these values that were somewhat already part of our way of seeing the profession, but that we wanted to make much more visible now to highlight even more our commitment to what we think is the future... This is just the beginning."
This new type of chocolate, WHOLEFRUIT, is the very first Cacao Barry couverture chocolate made from 100% pure cacaofruit. It's sustainably sourced and carries a short, clean label: no refined sugars, no lecithin, no vanilla. This unique identity gives it an unparalleled aromatic profile that unlocks many new flavour possibilities to explore: Evocao being the first signature expression of WHOLEFRUIT chocolate, with others to follow as of 2022.
A new type of chocolate with a unique aromatic profile
WholeFruit Evocao’s natural acidity and fruity notes, reminiscent of exotic fruits, make it a powerful chocolate without comparison with what is available on the market today. For the first time a chocolate reveals in depth all the flavours and natural freshness of the cacaofruit.
"Evocao™ is a great chocolate with a defined aromatic profile: from the pulp to the exotic fruitiness of the cocoa fruit, as well as a natural and striking acidity that sets a powerful tone on the palate. Evocao™ is a great art, which renews the “genre” of chocolate, and opens up new harmonic possibilities in terms of creativity in the kitchen and at the table." François Chartier, Creator of harmonies, number 1 expert in flavours according to Ferran Adrià
Taking the time to do it right
This revolution was born from the know-how of the Cacao Barry teams and the commitment of more than 30 chefs from around the globe*. An exciting creative journey which led Cacao Barry to develop the new WHOLEFRUIT chocolate first zesty & fruity expression: EVOCAO™.
This chocolate was designed for chefs, answering perfectly their expectations and requirements, in terms of values and taste, always respecting and valorising at its best the cacaofruit. It offers chefs and artisans a creative and gustatory field of expression as never before.
What does Evocao™ evoke to these chefs?
‘‘Evocao™ chocolate: pure freshness on the palate, acidity, citrus, cocoa power and a hint of exotic fruits; a true journey.” EMMANUEL RYON, Cacao Barry Ambassador France. Meilleur Ouvrier de France Glacier, World Pastry Champion and co-owner of "Une Glace à Paris – FRANCE
‘‘Tasting Evocao™ is like smelling and tasting the fresh cacaofruit straight from the tree out of the plantations.” FRANK HAASNOOT, Cacao Barry Ambassador. World Chocolate Master 2015 and International consultant and pastry instructor THE NETHERLANDS
‘‘Evocao™ is a different chocolate than any other I’ve ever tasted. My first emotion was: surprise.” MARKUS BOHR, UNITED KINGDOM, Cacao Barry Ambassador UK. Executive Pastry Chef at Harrods – UNITED KINGDOM
‘‘Evocao™ evokes freshness and nature, I can taste the whole fruit in a single bite. The bitter taste of chocolate combined with the citrus flavour of the cocoa pulp is incredibly well balanced and pleases my palate with a long lasting taste in the mouth. Wonderful.” RENATA ARASSIRO, Chef Chocolatier and Owner at Renata Arassiro Chocolates – BRAZIL
A different kind of responsible chocolate
With this innovation, Cacao Barry revolutionizes its approach to chocolate and offers a wholesome and elevated experience of the cacaofruit.
For centuries the cacaofruit, one of the most grown fruit in the world, was harvested mainly for its beans to craft chocolate, leaving 70% of the rest of the fruit discarded as waste. Today, Cacao Barry partners with Cabosse Naturals who upcycles the delicious pulp and peel into a range of 100% pure cacaofruit ingredients.
For Cacao Barry’s WHOLEFRUIT chocolate, Cabosse Naturals collaborates closely with the local cacaofruit farming communities, who are part of the Cocoa Horizons sustainability program in Ecuador, to source the highest quality fruits and offer to 450 small farmers an improved quality of life. They work together to limit the time between harvesting the fresh cacaofruits and the processing into delicious ingredients to no more than 5 hours. This is essential to preserve the high quality delicious fresh fruity taste and nutrients of the fruits that are found in WHOLEFRUIT chocolate.
"With WholeFruit chocolate Evocao™, Cacao Barry is bringing to life the common desire of farmers, chefs and consumers to leverage Nature for the ultimate wholesome taste experience.'' Dries Roekaerts, Barry Callebaut V.P. Global Gourmet.
Cacao Barry together with Cabosse Naturals are reducing the cacaofruit waste by upcycling the excess pulp juice with WHOLEFRUIT chocolate. Cacao Barry intends to be the first chocolate brand across the world that qualifies for the Upcycled Certified™ mark, which will be implemented this year in the United States by the Upcycled Food Association. This mark will help consumers make conscious choices in alignment with their values and have a positive impact on the environment.
Where to get it?
The WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ chocolate is available now in limited quantities first in France, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, United States, Brazil and Japan for professional artisans. From December 2021, its distribution will be progressively extended to many other countries (this information will be updated on the Cacao Barry website). The production is still limited for the moment, but consumers will be able to taste it at chefs and artisans’ businesses whose addresses are indicated on the website Notwithoutmychocolate.com
According to Andrea Doucet Donida, Global Leader of Cacao Barry, "We are very proud to offer to the gastronomy sector this new vision of chocolate that meets the current needs of ingredients good for oneself and for the planet. It is all the more positive that this new type of chocolate brings a new exciting taste experience with stimulating flavours pairing options for the chefs to explore and for their customers to indulge - wholesomely. WHOLEFRUIT chocolate Evocao™ is the chocolate of tomorrow, today!"
Much more than a chocolate, WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ offers an exceptional zesty fruity taste experience like no other, together with a new perspective on chocolate, respecting the people and the whole fruit.
WHOLEFRUIT chocolate revolution is underway:
Chocolate as Nature intended, revealed by chefs.
* The Creative Journey Top Chefs:
Andrey Dubovik | Arnaud Larher | Aurelien Trottier | Benoît Castel | Chris Ford | Christophe Morel | Davide Comaschi | Diego Lozano | Ej Lee | Emmanuel Ryon | Fabrizio Galla | Francisco Migoya | Frank Haasnoot | Hironobu Tsujiguchi | Jean-Charles Rochoux | Jeffrey Cagnes | Juan Contreras | Ken Thomas | Kirsten Tibballs | Laurent Duchêne | Lauren V. Haas | Lori Sauer | Marike Van Beurden | Markus Bohr | Martin Diez | Melissa Coppel | Naomi Mizuno | Philippe Bertrand | Ramon Morató | Ramon Perez | Renata Arassiro | Ronya Belova | Susumu Koyama
About Cacao-Barry® (www.cacao-barry.com)
Explorers of cacao flavor excellence and protectors of its diversity since 1842, we share the whole cacaofruit flavor experience, from nature to plate, with farmers and chefs.
A favorite among creative chefs in more than 90 countries, Cacao Barry, rooted in its French pastry heritage, offers a wide variety of fine flavor chocolates which cacaofruits and beans are carefully selected from exceptional plantations in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Fostering strong stimulating international chef communities is at the heart of Cacao Barry efforts to bring motivating inspirations to chefs, supported by their influential Ambassador network and the 26 Chocolate Academy centers around the world. Cacao Barry is committed to a responsible and sustainable future, with the goal to offer 100% sustainable chocolates by 2025. It already reached the milestone to have 100% sustainably sourced beans in 2020.
Thanks to its Thriving nature commitment, Cacao Barry aims to ensure sustainable growth of the chocolate sector through a movement that includes planters, civil society, industry, governments and chocolate lovers supporting the Cocoa Horizon Program.
Cacao Barry empowers all creative chefs, masters and the next generation, to engage fully, to reach their vision: to express their true nature.
