Cocoa production fell by 14% in the 2023-24 season as cocoa prices reached a record high.
According to data from the World Bank, global cocoa production fell by 14% in the 2023-24 season as output from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which produce nearly 60% of the world’s cocoa, rapidly slowed.
In light of this reduced cocoa production, the cost of cocoa has dramatically increased for the first time in decades. Cocoa prices consistently hovered between $2,000 and $3,000 per metric tonne but increased gradually through 2023, then more dramatically in 2024, with prices now sitting above $10,000.
With the cost of cocoa skyrocketing, food manufacturers are under increasing pressure to find alternative natural solutions for adapting their recipes without sacrificing flavour.
With this in mind, Daria Pashkova, Product and Marketing Manager at Ohly, who are experts in taste improvement solutions, explains how food manufacturers can turn to yeast extract to retain taste while helping to reduce content by up to 30%.
What is the ‘cocoa crisis’?
Cocoa is a staple ingredient in many recipes, typically used by manufacturers to add a roasted chocolate flavour to their products. In the past few years, climate change, soil degradation and disease have restricted cocoa supplies, leading to a cocoa shortage and increased prices of available cocoa.
As food manufacturers accept that a return to normal cocoa prices is not anticipated for years, they must look for alternative solutions to innovate and adapt their recipes without sacrificing flavour and quality.
Natural solutions for cocoa reduction
There are several natural options available for food manufacturers as they navigate this change in the cocoa landscape. Some businesses have responded to supply chain pressures by exploring the use of alternatives like carob, grape seeds and fava beans. However, rather than trying to substitute cocoa for something else, it is possible to employ other speciality ingredients like yeast extracts. If cleverly utilised together with a smaller amount of cocoa, yeast extracts can amplify rich chocolate flavours.
How can yeast extract compensate for reductions in cocoa?
Whilst yeast extracts, as with many other alternatives on the market, cannot directly replace cocoa in food recipes, they can bring roasted cocoa and dried fruit or dark chocolate notes to enhance the flavour of the cocoa, meaning that it can be used in smaller quantities.
Cocoa flavour profiles are very distinct, so when using less cocoa in recipes it is vital to bring out these rich and complex flavours as much as possible. Yeast extract can enhance brown, roasted and bitter notes in cocoa or coffee-based applications. When heated, the sugars and amino acids in yeast react to produce rich, full-bodied, roasted flavours and deep brown colours in what is known as the Maillard reaction.
Yeast extract can also help reinforce depth and flavour to balance sweetness in reduced cocoa recipes. Yeast extracts help to create complexity and roundness, improving the overall sensory profile of chocolate products. When balanced well with the other ingredients in the recipe, yeast extracts optimise the flavour and texture, retaining premium taste while reducing cocoa content.
What are the benefits of using yeast extract to reduce cocoa?
Yeast extract is a natural solution to the cocoa crisis, allowing food manufacturers to reduce cocoa content and manage costs without sacrificing the taste and quality.
A sustainable cocoa solution
Yeast extract offers a natural, ethical and sustainable option for food manufacturers whilst the future of cocoa supplies remains uncertain. This solution enables food producers and manufacturers to reduce their dependence on unpredictable supply chains whilst maintaining the flavour their customers expect.
Improve palatability
Simply reducing cocoa could impact the quality of a recipe, affecting the taste and texture of a product. Yeast extract can help to remedy this, bringing back the richness and mouthfeel that can be lost when reducing cocoa. Yeast extracts are effective in maintaining and enhancing the flavour profiles of chocolatey foods when cocoa is reduced.
Daria Pashkova, Product and Marketing Manager at Ohly says:
“Cocoa shortages are a real problem for food manufacturers. There is pressure for them to find a stable solution without compromising on taste, quality and customer satisfaction. Adding yeast extracts allows manufacturers to achieve multidimensional complex taste experiences that meet today’s consumer expectations. Yeast extracts can help to bring back the richness and mouthfeel that can be lost when reducing cocoa powder. This makes yeast extracts an excellent solution for businesses to reduce the cocoa content while retaining the premium taste experience.
Ohly’s natural yeast-based flavour solutions can help food manufacturers looking to reduce their dependence on the volatile cocoa market by rethinking their cocoa usage. They can help to achieve up to 30% cocoa reduction in sweet applications like beverages, desserts or baked goods by successfully bringing balance and complexity.”
