Creating a tastier, more ethical, and sustainable future for chocolate, Win-Win is transforming food production with its cocoa-free alternatives. We find out more from Ahrum Pak, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.
THE WINNING FORMULA
Win-Win is reimagining the future of chocolate – without the cocoa.
The forward-thinking and innovative company produces a range of award-winning, cocoa-free chocolate alternatives including white, milk, vegan m•lk, and dark couvertures and compounds.
“Our products are made using abundant, affordable, and sustainable ingredients like rice and carob, and are crafted with traditional chocolate-making techniques such as roasting, grinding, refining, and tempering,” introduces Ahrum Pak, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.
“What makes us different is our proprietary fermentation process, which is designed to replicate the complex flavours in chocolate without relying on the cocoa bean.
“The result is a product that melts, snaps, and tastes just like chocolate, but without the environmental and ethical concerns,” she excites.
According to a recent MyEmissions report, Win-Win’s products produce 82 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions, and on average use up to 80 percent less water.
Additionally, they can be used as a direct replacement in cakes, cookies, doughnuts, coatings, desserts, and much more.
Headquartered in Hackney Wick, East London, Win-Win’s operators work alongside commercial and R&D teams to bring its revolutionary cocoa-free chocolate to life.
“As the name suggests, Win-Win is all about creating solutions that are better for people, the planet, and businesses alike,” Pak tells us proudly.
“As the name suggests, Win-Win is all about creating solutions that are better for people, the planet, and businesses alike”
Ahrum Pak, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Win-Win
DEFYING A COCOA CRISIS
Win-Win was born out of urgency as the company identified a looming crisis in the chocolate supply chain, driven by climate volatility and persistent labour challenges, and realised there was no mass-market, scalable alternative.
“The Win-Win vision was always to create viable alternative ingredients in a sustainable, ethical way that could meaningfully ease the pressures on the cocoa supply chain,” Pak sets out.
“From day one, we knew we had our work cut out for us to be as close as possible to mass-market chocolate in both taste and function.”
This led to the creation of the company’s proprietary biomass fermentation process, where it recreates cocoa-like flavours from entirely different, sustainable ingredients.
“We’ve since developed an extensive portfolio of chocolate alternatives and secured investment from mission-aligned partners to scale production, build a stellar team, and bring our products to market,” she prides.
More from Food & Beverage Outlook
Today, chocolate is at a breaking point, as evidenced by 2024’s confectionery meltdown when the price of cocoa spiked by six times its usual trading price.
This was due to changing growing conditions and increase in pests and disease that are reducing cocoa yields, causing price increases and instability.
At the same time, the industry is still grappling with deep-rooted issues around deforestation and child labour. These aren’t minor challenges, but structural and systemic.
“At Win-Win, we’re offering a viable alternative – a product that is free from cocoa but delivers on everything people love about chocolate, like taste, texture, and versatility, whilst being more ethical and climate-resilient.
“We’re not here to replace all chocolate. Instead, we’re simply providing a much-needed supplement to a strained global system, as there’s no signs that demand is slowing down at all,” Pak affirms.
By giving manufacturers and food businesses an alternative ingredient with a significantly lower carbon and ethical footprint, Win-Win is helping to futureproof a flavour loved by all
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Creating a new food product from scratch is one of the biggest challenges in the industry, especially when trying to replicate something as beloved and complex as chocolate.
Cocoa’s deep flavour comes from its fermentation and roasting process, so recreating that profile from entirely different, sustainable ingredients was, and still remains, no small task for Win-Win.
“We went through thousands of R&D iterations, testing different combinations and techniques to get the flavour, texture and functionality just right. It took persistence, creativity, and a lot of tastings!” describes Pak.
“And we’re not done. Innovation is ongoing, not just to improve taste, but to push sustainability even further – we’re constantly looking to improve our products and our processes.”
For Win-Win, the next 12 months are all about getting its products into customers’ hands.
The company will be launching into new categories and expanding its business-to-business partnerships in the UK and across Europe.
Kicking this off, Win-Win has just announced a major DACH distribution deal with Martin Braun Backmittel und Essenzen KG, part of Martin Braun-Gruppe.
The group produces and sells a full range of convenience products for the baking, confectionery, and catering industries, and delivers its products to wholesalers, retailers, bakeries, patisseries, and foodservice and industrial companies worldwide.
“We’re looking forward to the world seeing Win-Win in more products on shelves, from baked goods to confectionery to desserts!” Pak ardently concludes.
