- WHOLEFRUIT chocolate: a fresh, fruity delight made from 100% pure cacaofruit curated specially for chefs and artisans
- Developed to satisfy the need of millennials and centennials for food and drinks to be tasty and nutritious as well as good for the planet and its people
UAE-Dubai, 29 March 2021: After a successful global launch in 2021, Barry Callebaut today announced the Middle East launch of WHOLEFRUIT chocolate, a revolutionary new type of chocolate under the Cacao Barry franchise, created especially for artisans and chefs.
Hosted at Chocolate Academy™ center, the launch event brought together industry veterans and chocolate enthusiasts to experience the true essence of WHOLEFRUIT chocolate as part of an exclusive affair of the senses. Guests were welcomed to indulge in a slew of signature creations by five popular chefs including Romain Cornu, Abel Vieilleville, Dilip Kumara, Romain Castet and Charles Azar. Each chef showcased their artistic fervour and unique pairing notes— bringing out the full potential of the WHOLEFRUIT chocolate.
At the event, attendees were also taken on a VR trip to Ecuador’s Cocoa farms and indulged in immersive experience zones that were curated to spotlight the various elements of the WHOLEFRUIT Chocolate.
For his part, Chef Romain Renard, Head of Chocolate Academy™ center Dubai, said: “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! We are proud to present WHOLEFRUIT chocolate: Evocao™, designed by and for chef artisans. Through this new product, we are staying true to our vision of creating long-term value and proving the fraternity a canvas to pair, experiment and come up with delightful creations that can cater to our diverse customer base.”
Anuj Pachauri, Head of Marketing & BD, Barry Callebaut MENA, said: “The values associated with Cacao Barry WHOLEFRUIT 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. The launch of Cacao Barry Evocao™ was a natural next step, taking into consideration the growing talent pool and innovative spirit of the region, Over the year, we have witnessed a steady growth in the industry and believe that this trend is set to grow in the years to come, which will make the Middle East a dynamic hub for chocolate lovers and Chefs.”
A chocolate with a unique aromatic profile
WHOLEFRUIT Chocolate is a delicious, fresh fruity taste with 40% less sugar than the most consumed dark chocolates made from 100% pure cacao fruit. WHOLEFRUIT’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, consumers can enjoy all the flavours and natural freshness of the cacaofruit.
Collaboration with Chefs
In 2019, Barry Callebaut rallied 30 pastry chefs and chocolate makers from around the world to explore the perfect expression of WHOLEFRUIT Chocolate. After several months in the making, the first expression of a unique couverture chocolate made from 100% pure cacaofruit known as WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ was developed.
Commenting on the launch Amine Mebrouki, General Manager MENA, Cacao Barry said: “After making waves globally with the launch of the WHOLEFRUIT Chocolate last year, we are pleased to bring this innovative product to the Middle East market. Innovation is the backbone of our organization and by leveraging the knowledge we possess; we have unveiled yet another groundbreaking offering that will aid the creative journey of artisans and chefs alike.
He added: “Today, our customers want more than just good tasting chocolate. They want chocolate that is good for people and planet. To this end, it was important for us to tick all the boxes to come up with this unique proposition.”
WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™
Cacao Barry’s WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ is the first signature expression of WHOLEFRUIT chocolate, and other exciting flavor profiles will follow later this year.
Commenting on the availability of the product, Maurice Feghali, CEO, EMF Middle East commented, ” We are very proud to offer to the gastronomy sector a new vision of chocolate that meets the current needs of ingredients: Good for oneself. Good for the planet. In the Middle East region, the WholeFruit Evocao™️ chocolate is now available for professional artisans in the UAE via the EMF Emirates network. Later this year, we will progressively plan to extended the distribution to other parts of the Middle East region.”
The product has been an instant hit in the chef community and recently bagged the World Food Innovation Award for ‘Best Artisan Product’ for its strong proposition. Running in the eighth edition, the World Food Innovation Awards gives a fine representation of what the future beholds for food innovation, revolutionary technologies, and health-conscious consumers.
First chocolate worldwide with Upcycled certified label
WHOLEFRUIT Evocao™ intends to be the first chocolate worldwide that qualifies for the Upcycled Certified mark, which will be implemented this year in the United States by the Upcycled Food Association. This helps consumers to make conscious choices and have a positive impact on the environment they appreciate so much.
Additionally, Cacao Barry partnered with Cabosse Naturals, who upcycles the delicious pulp and peel into a range of 100% pure cacaofruit ingredients. Cabosse Naturals collaborates closely with local cacaofruit farming communities in Ecuador, who are part of the Cocoa Horizons sustainability program, to source the highest quality fruits. Through this collaboration, the time between harvesting and processing the fresh cacaofruit into delicious ingredients has been shortened to no more than 5 hours. Freshly harvested cacaofruit is essential to preserve the delicious fresh fruity taste and nutrients of the fruits that distinguish WHOLEFRUIT chocolate.
About Cacao Barry® (www.cacaobarry.com)
Fueled by over 175 years of cacao and chocolate expertise across the world, Cacao Barry® continues to bring both innovation and support to farmers and chefs. With an innate understanding of the very source, Cacao Barry® provides the most unique cacao from remarkable places to ensure chefs are able to design the most unique pastry creations.
As former coffee and tea merchant, the Barry family set the standard in 1842 by travelling to Africa to seek out and harvest a selection of cocoa beans to transform into the most refined and delicate cocoa and chocolate products. Bought by the enterprising Lacarre family in 1923, the company was catapulted into the international arena while further investing in cocoa plantations, factories and communities in both Africa and South America.
With a dedication to bring professionals the very best in taste, Cacao Barry® launched the iconic Excellence and Lactée Barry as the first amongst couverture chocolates (1952). To further advance the quality of pastry, Cacao Barry© introduced the pastry and confectionary expertise with in-house academies (1973). With the Le Nôtre partnership (1974), Cacao Barry® became the undisputed leading chocolate brand in French pastry as it continuously evolved the pastry segment with innovations like moulds (1976), “Pistoles” chocolate format (1988), pailleté feuilletine (1989) and Cara Crakine (2011).
Our profound knowledge and strong roots in plantations has enabled Cacao Barry® to offer true diversity of flavour and origin by launching a range of single Origines couvertures (1994). As chocolate tastes evolved in the culinary world, so did chefs’ needs for differentiation and inspiration. With the launch of Millésime single plantations (2006) and Or Noir™ (2007), Cacao Barry© has given chefs access remarkable flavours from remarkable places. With dedicated to the principles of traceability and sustainability throughout the entire process, Cacao Barry® developed the Pureté range (2013). The intense flavours of these chocolates are due to controlled fermentation, a technology that allows us to further unlock the sensorial richness of cocoa.
The launch of the World Chocolate Masters (2005), the only global competition 100% aimed at chocolate, has built new trends and have brought chefs international success. With 20 Chocolate Academy Centers™ around the globe, Cacao Barry® aims to keep inspiring and elevating the knowledge, technique and creativity of the next generation of chefs.
In 2015 Cacao Barry® launched CacaoCollective, a chefs community dedicated to inspiration, information and creativity around chocolate. CacaoCollective is the chefs’ playground : created for Chefs / by Chefs.
The new RaRe Chocolates Collection (2017) represents the commitment Cacao Barry® has towards sustaining and protecting the diversity of origin cacao flavour. “Now Cacao Barry is a responsible and committed brand for the environment, with the goal by 2025 to offer 100%
sustainable chocolates. Thanks to its “Thriving nature” commitment, Cacao Barry aims to ensure sustainable growth of the chocolate industry through a movement that includes planters, civil, society, industry, governments and chocolate lovers.”
Explore CacaoCollective and #UnboxCreativity
About Barry Callebaut Group (www.barry-callebaut.com):
With annual sales of about CHF 6.8 billion (EUR 6.3 billion / USD 6.9 billion) in fiscal year 2016/17, the Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations, and compounds. The Group runs close to 60 production facilities worldwide and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of about 11,000 people.
The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants, or caterers. The two global brands catering to the specific needs of these Gourmet customers are Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®.
The Barry Callebaut Group is committed to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025 to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods. It supports the Cocoa Horizons Foundation in its goal to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.
About Chocolate Academy™ centers
All around the globe, 21 Chocolate Academy™ centers are teaching and training centres for artisans and professionals who want to improve their working skills in chocolate and learn about new trends, techniques, and recipes. We share our knowledge and experience through seminars, demonstrations, theoretical courses, and practical workshops.
Visit the Chocolate Academy™ centers website to find out everything about our locations, courses and teachers.