Barry Callebaut introduces 100 percent dairy-free chocolate

Premium chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has announced that its latest innovation will satisfy the growing demand for plant-based indulgence, particularly among millennials. The company’s new 100 percent dairy-free ‘M_lk Chocolate’ is part of a ‘Plant Craft’ Indulgence range that includes chocolate, cocoa, nuts, and fillings to decorations.

The new dairy-free ‘M_lk Chocolate’ is creamy, milky, and has the typical milk chocolate flavor and texture. It is made with an ingredient of natural origin, exclusively available to Barry Callebaut. It took a Barry Callebaut R&D team two years to develop this innovation.

“The next generation of consumers is looking for experiences that are tasty, good for them and good for the planet. With that in mind, we aim to accompany the industry in this plant-based revolution,” says Pablo Perversi, Chief Innovation, Sustainability and Quality Officer and Head of Gourmet at Barry Callebaut. “With more than 175 years of experience in mastering chocolate, creating indulgent experiences is at the heart of what we do. Through this innovation, we’re proud to offer chocolate creations with all of the creaminess consumers love, 100 percent dairy-free.”

To bring these plant-based products to market, Barry Callebaut has developed dairy-free production facilities, including a state-of-the-art chocolate factory opening in Norderstedt, Germany in 2021 that will have an annual production capacity in the tens of thousands of tons.

The launch comes at a time when sustainability-conscious consumers are increasingly adopting a ‘flexitarian’ or ‘freegan’ lifestyle – navigating seamlessly between plant-based products one day and animal products the next.