Clean label cocoa powder launch

Chocolate and cocoa company, Barry Callebaut, has launched a clean label cocoa power made from chicory root fiber.

Chicory is a plant grown throughout Europe. Its roots are used to make a caffeine-free coffee substitute, while its leaves are often used in salads.

While this fiber is technically a type of sugar and therefore has a sweet taste, it behaves differently. This is because it has little to no impact on blood sugar levels. Instead, it acts as a prebiotic fiber that feeds your gut bacteria, which improves digestion.

Consumers are becoming more aware about their sugar intake and trends indicate that they look for familiar and smaller lists of ingredients – the so-called ‘clean label’ trend.

Nutritionists and public health advocates have now publicly called to increase individual daily fiber intake from 25g to 30g, encouraging consumers to eat more fiber-rich foods. As a result, manufacturers have responded with the release of more high in fiber products. Since 2014, there has been an increase of 60 percent of such produce.