Planet A Foods launches Cocoa Booster to tackle cocoa costs and meet growing demand for fiber
The Munich-based ingredient company follows ChoViva with the launch of its second alternative ingredient – a functional single-ingredient replacer for cocoa powder
Munich, 27 October 2026 – Cocoa is heading into its second supply shock in three years. Prices have risen by more than 70% since February 2026, and future markets price cocoa above US$6,000 per metric ton well into 2027. While the last crisis hit cocoa butter hardest, the pressure is now shifting to cocoa powder – the ingredient behind most cocoa-flavored cookies, cakes, cereals and drinks.
At the same time, GLP-1 medication is changing how people eat: users consume 15–20% fewer calories and favor smaller, more nutrient-dense portions. For manufacturers of cocoa-based foods, both trends land on the same recipes. Planet A Foods, the Munich-based company behind ChoViva, today introduces its Cocoa Booster, a functional replacer for cocoa powder made from a single natural ingredient.
Volatility is no longer the exception
The 2026/27 season is shaping up as another tight one. Forecasters see a probability of over 90% for a strong El Niño¹, which threatens harvests in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the source of around 60% of the world’s cocoa. For producers of cookies, cakes, cereals, fillings and beverages, cocoa powder has become an ingredient that is hard to plan. Planet A Foods’ Cocoa Booster lets them reduce the share of cocoa powder in their recipes, and with it their exposure to the cocoa market. Because it is sourced in the EU, its supply is independent of West African harvests, and volumes and prices can be secured long-term. Until now, alternatives have largely been limited to carob, malt or multi-component blends.
One ingredient instead of a blend
The Cocoa Booster comes in three profiles – natural, alkalized and dark – designed to match the taste and color of the respective cocoa powder and to work in existing recipes without process changes. In applications, it can replace cocoa powder partially or up to 100% in cookies, muffins, sponge cake, puddings, fat-based cream fillings and beverages. The Cocoa Booster is a partial replacement that is blended with cocoa powder. Unlike ChoViva, it is not a consumer-facing brand: manufacturers use it as an ingredient within their recipes, without branding on the pack. The ingredient is made from an EU-sourced raw material, produced in the EU and allergen-free.
“When we spoke to R&D teams, the message was consistent: they had tested alternatives, but existing powder extenders either brought an off-taste, matched only the color but not the taste, or came with added sugars and flavors. We set out to solve this with one ingredient that works in the recipe they already have – and adds fiber at the same time.” – Dr. Sara Marquart, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Planet A Foods
Fiber is the new formulation brief
In US households with a GLP-1 user, grocery spending fell by 5.3% within six months, with snacks and sweet bakery among the categories hit hardest². What these consumers still buy, they choose more deliberately – with a focus on nutrient density and fiber. This puts pressure on categories that rely on cocoa powder to rethink their nutritional profile without losing the taste consumers expect. The Cocoa Booster gives manufacturers a lever to do exactly that: by replacing part of the cocoa powder, they raise the fiber content of a recipe while keeping its taste and color. The ingredient contains around 69 g of fiber per 100 g, compared with around 37 g in cocoa powder*.
From ChoViva to Cocoa Booster: alternative ingredients at industrial scale
Planet A Foods was founded in 2021 to develop alternatives for ingredients whose supply chains are at risk. Its first ingredient, ChoViva, a cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from sunflower seeds, is used in more than 230 products in 12 countries. The Cocoa Booster builds on the same technology platform and is the company’s first solution for cocoa powder – taking its approach from chocolate applications to the wider range of confectionery applications.
Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods are extending their partnership to include the Cocoa Booster. Going forward, customers across the world will be able to source the booster through Barry Callebaut’s Sales and R&D network.
“Cocoa volatility is not a one-off crisis, and manufacturers need ingredients they can plan with for years, not seasons. ChoViva has shown that alternative ingredients work at industrial scale. With our Cocoa Booster, we are bringing that experience to one of the most widely used cocoa ingredients – and we are just getting started.” – Dr. Maximilian Marquart, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Planet A Foods
¹ Source: PricePedia, “Cocoa price forecast for 2026–2027”, 14 September 2026 – pricepedia.it
² Source: ING Research, cited in Food Ingredients First, “How GLP-1 weight loss drugs are shaping the future of European food demand”, 1 April 2026 – foodingredientsfirst.com
*USDA FoodData Central, “Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali”, FDC ID 169594
