Nestlé’s cocoa‑free chocolate launch: summary
- Nestlé launches cocoa‑free Snack Vibes with Planet A Foods partnership
- ChoViva provides sunflower‑based chocolate alternative delivering distinctive taste experiences
- New range expands Choco Crossies lineup with three permanent flavour varieties
- Sustainability pressures and cocoa price volatility can drive interest in alternatives
- Gen Z targeted in Germany where younger consumers embrace cocoa‑free options
In news likely to encourage both food‑tech innovators and sustainability advocates, the world’s biggest food company is bringing cocoa‑free “chocolate” to market for the first time.
And this isn’t merely Nestlé’s first step into cocoa‑free alternatives — it marks a Big Food first. No other confectionery major has made a bet this bold on cocoa‑free.
Nestlé adds cocoa-free “chocolate” to confectionery portfolio
The launch comes out of a partnership between German start-up Planet A Foods and Nestlé. And the product: Nestlé’s Choco Crossies “Snack Vibes”, due to launch in April 2026.
Planet A Foods makes the key ingredient in question: a cocoa‑free chocolate alternative, branded ChoViva, that promises “chocolatey indulgence”.
Nestlé’s new completely cocoa-free range comes in three varieties: classic, hazelnut, and salted popcorn caramel taste. Recipes of the original line of Choco Crossies – available in original and white chocolate – remain unchanged. In that way, the move into cocoa-free marks an expansion to Nestlé’s confectionery portfolio, rather than a replacement.
“The Snack Vibes are designed as a standalone range within the Nestlé Choco Crossies brand,” explains a Nestlé spokesperson.
And although ChoViva is marketed as a chocolate alternative, the multinational doesn’t want to focus on comparisons with the real thing, rather its aim is to create ”distinctive" taste experiences with new ingredient combinations for its target audience.
Proprietary research suggests the new formulations will hit the mark, we’re told. “Internal studies confirm that Snack Vibes performs strongly in terms of taste and offer an enjoyable snacking experience.”
The new ingredient inside Nestlé’s cocoa-free line
So if Nestlé‘s new “Snack Vibes” line doesn’t contain any cocoa at all, what’s it made with instead?
ChoViva is made using a blend of sunflower seeds, sugar, plant-based fats, and milk powder. The dairy component is swapped out for sunflower seed flour in the start-up’s vegan version.
To make the ingredient, Planet A Foods first ferments the sunflower seeds, then roasts them before grinding them into a concentrate. That’s then mixed with the rest of the ingredients, the plant-based fats are added, and the mixture is conched – a process used in traditional chocolate making that transforms raw cocoa into a smooth, homogenous liquid.
The cocoa-free alternative is already featured in more than 120 products across 10 countries. Among the most notable are partnerships with supermarket retailers Aldi and Kaufland, and a limited edition run with Lindt & Sprüngli.
But this partnership marks a milestone: ChoViva’s first commercial debut in a permanent, rather than limited-edition, product from an industry giant. Nestlé is not only the biggest food company in the world, but ranked in the top five largest confectionery companies on the planet.
Why Nestlé’s toying with new confectionery ingredients
Nestlé is far from the first big name chocolate maker to explore cocoa alternatives. Actually, it’s at the back of the pack. Confectionery giants have shown increasing interest in alternative cocoa innovation, whether that’s in helping to fund cultivated cocoa start-ups, or partnering with cocoa-free innovators.
Deal struck independently of Barry Callebaut
Nestlé‘s partnership with Planet A Foods comes just four months after it announced a new partnership with cocoa supplier Barry Callebaut. According to the deal, Barry Callebaut is responsible for distributing Planet A Foods' ChoViva cocoa-free ingredient outside of Western Europe.
But in this instance, Barry Callebaut did not play a role in connecting the start-up and food major. “Our partnership with Nestlé is entirely independent of the Barry Callebaut deal; we have been in discussions with Nestlé Germany for two to three years," explains a Planet A Foods spokesperson.
At least two key drivers underly these moves. The first is that cocoa production is increasingly threatened by climate change, prompting chocolate makers to explore ways to build more resilience into their supply chains. ChoViva feeds into this sustainability messaging: the cocoa-free alternative generates 80% fewer CO2 emissions and uses up to 94% less water, according to the start-up.
The second driver is record‑breaking volatility in cocoa prices, which has squeezed chocolate makers’ margins. If alternative ingredients prove cheaper over the long term, they could help support confectioners’ bottom lines.
But Nestlé is not publicly siding with either of these factors, and remains firmly committed to cocoa. Instead, the food giant says the move most focuses on tapping into a specific target market for snacking: Gen Z consumers.
Alt choc for Gen Z consumers in Germany
Since Choco Crossies is a “strong local brand” in Germany, that’s where Nestlé is currently focusing its efforts, according to a company spokesperson. Specifically, the confectionery major is looking to attract younger consumers from the Generation Z demographic.
According to findings from market research firm FMCG Gurus, attitudes to cocoa-free chocolate differ dramatically between different generations. For Gen Z, as many as 61% of consumers accept natural alternatives. That figure drops to 42% for Baby Boomers.
Nestlé‘s own research suggests Gen Z consumers are “largely positive” towards chocolate alternatives. “In our surveys, 25% of respondents were already familiar with ChoViva,” the spokesperson explains. “At the same time, we are confident that those who are not familiar with or have not tried ChoViva will also be convinced by the taste of the new Nestlé Choco Crossies Snack Vibes.”
And it’s not just the product’s ingredients appealing to younger consumers, but the format too. “Younger consumers snack more spontaneously, more often on the go or alongside other activities, and are looking for variety, new flavour combinations and contemporary formats.
“This is exactly where the new range comes in, with its modern lifestyle look and convenient pouch format.”
