Company: HERZA Schakolade

Website: herza.de/en

Ingredient Snapshot: A vegan diet is now so much more than a trend. Around the globe the demand for plant-based alternatives is growing—not just for basic foods but across all food categories. Confectionery manufacturers have been promoting their vegan fruit gums for some time now. The consumption of vegan products is on the rise in the chocolate segment, too. But particularly when it comes to white chocolate the offering is rather limited. Up to now, there were no vegan alternatives at all to white chocolate pieces. HERZA Schokolade has now occupied this market niche. The new fat glaze pieces are based on coconut butter and vegan milk substitute powders.

HERZA's market innovation comes in two different options. The conventional basic product consists of coconut butter glaze pieces and coconut milk powder. The organic alternative is made from organic coconut butter glaze pieces and rice milk powder. Both options can be individually enriched. The addition of organic matcha gives the organic product, for instance, an interesting green appearance. In contrast, the "Thai" spice mix imbues the conventional option with the mild spiciness of ginger and chilli, a perfect pairing with the coconut flavor.

Thanks to the new coconut butter glaze pieces, manufacturers can meet the growing demand for vegan products and add exciting flavor experiences to their range. The glaze pieces are particularly suitable for muesli and vegan ice cream. When combined with cranberries or other dried fruit, the matcha option introduces, for instance, optical flourishes into the vegan nut-fruit mixtures. Another advantage is the positive health image of matcha that carries over to the finished products, too. The "Thai" option promises to be an especially enjoyable experience. It is a very good fit for the nut-fruit mixes with tropical fruit but also lends itself very well to modern cuisine—whether as an ingredient in soups and sauces or as a topping on vegan main dishes, salads or desserts.