Tracking the upward trajectory of the demand for vegan and plant-based chocolate, Beneo touts rice as the ideal ingredient to deliver on taste, texture and the quintessential tempered snap that consumers love. Several recipes containing specialty rice ingredients such as Nutriz MP, are being developed at The Beneo-Technology Center.

FoodIngredientsFirst attended a virtual chocolate tasting session hosted by Beneo to test their vegan and plant-based chocolates. The dark-chocolate vegan version contains a high proportion of cocoa liquor to simulate its dairy counterpart, while the plant-based taster was milder in flavor and color.

“Different regions mean different taste preferences, different technologies and different ingredients. When developing chocolate, the process must be standard. Customers want standardized processing. If the taste is not there, it’s clear the customer will not buy,” says Rudy Wouters, head of Beneo-Technology Center. 

With “keto” trending in the US and sugar reduction as a big trend, “that’s what consumers are looking for,” says Wouters. “One version is we add fibers and one wher we use isomalt to replac all the sugar one-to-one.”

Rice to the occasion
A recent global consumer research survey conducted by Beneo found that 38% of European flexitarians want to see more dairy-free chocolate in supermarkets. about 76% of the participants value a similar smooth mouthfeel to dairy in plant-based confectionery.

Meanwhile, “Plant-based: The Canvas for Innovation” is #2 of Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2022.Producers and manufacturers should not assume that everyone buying plant-based is a vegan (Credit: Beneo). 

Beneo identifies “taste and texture” as key to achieving repeat purchases. “With vegan, they (consumers) do not want that much bitterness or an off-taste. When developing vegan chocolate, creaminess is important. Nutriz MP is a clean label, rice powder, dairy alternative that can be used as a bulking agent in other formulations,” Wouters explains.

Rice has gained traction with manufacturers of plant-based chocolate. Consumer perception of rice as an ingredient shows that 73% of European flexitarians find it appealing in plant-based bakery and sweets alternatives.

“We tested soy, pea, oats and others. Rice scored as a top creator alongside almond and coconut. It’s a good grain with lots of positives,” Jolien Lambrechts, marketing insights manager, Beneo tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“If you cannot deliver a full vegan version, then a plant-based version works. Vegan chocolate recipes continue to attract – 28% in the UK, 15% in Germany and 8% in the Netherlands,” says Lambrechts.

about 44% of Europeans affirm their interest in plant-based options and vegan sweets. about 30% of flexitarians in the region say they buy into plant-based bakery and sweets as it supports a well-balanced diet. In Germany, the number one purchase driver of these chocolates and other vegan products is animal welfare, notes Lambrechts. In the UK, “being better for the planet” is the key purchase driver for plant-based sweets.  

Beneo has extended its rice ingredient portfolio to facilitate manufacturers in meeting the demand. The Nutriz range consists of blends of dried rice syrup, rice flour and rice starch that can be labeled as rice powder in Europe. 

The milk powder replacement has a light color and neutral taste to create plant-based cocoa bars with a smooth mouthfeel, good melting behavior and a good snap.Plant-based chocolate pralines created by chef Pieter-Jan Lint (Credit: Beneo). 

“You need consumer-friendly labeling,” says Wouters “Europe, for example, has stringent labeling regulations. Then there’s gut health, sugar reduction, adding fibers – you can go one step further than pure indulgence.”.

Snapped up by top chef
Fine-dining vegan chef Pieter-Jan Lint uses Beneo’s vegan chocolate in his creations. Owner of Amaranth, the first gourmet vegan restaurant in Belgium, Lint has shown diners how versatile vegan cuisine can be. 

Lint collaborated with Beneo to put its rice, wheat protein and chicory root ingredients to the test by incorporating them into plant-based foods and desserts. 

“The rice ingredients have helped me to develop vegan cream cheeses and lovely desserts. I have also experimented with combining the rice starch, inulin and wheat protein in a variety of ways,” Lint explains. 

“I’ve known about these ingredients but have never combined them before. The ability to rethink recipes and to add these functional ingredients in a creative way has led to some really appealing new vegan dishes.” 

“Although there is so much more to discover, I have especially loved the vegan chocolate, creamy praline fillings and ice cream,” he says.

Lambrechts adds that food producers and manufacturers should not assume that everyone buying plant-based is a vegan. Therefore, Beneo uses the flexitarian category as a benchmark for creating plant-based chocolate. 

“We’ve seen proof that plant-based and vegan are growing in popularity as well as better-for-you credentials. It’s about bringing more innovation to the plant-based angle,” says Lambrechts.