AEON's New 'Chocolate' Snack Contains Zero Cacao
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AEON has launched a new snack made to taste like chocolate, without using any cacao. As cacao prices soar due to poor harvests in West Africa, alternative chocolate products made from ingredients like peas and burdock root are gaining traction.
On June 10, AEON released "Choco ka? WITH BISCUIT," a chocolate-like snack made from fermented and roasted sunflower seeds. The production process mimics that of cacao, resulting in a smooth texture and flavor similar to real chocolate. The product includes about 12 pieces. Each is paired with a biscuit made from oats and grains. It sells for ¥398 JPY (about $3 USD, excluding tax) and is available at 2,200 stores nationwide, including AEON and MaxValu locations.
"This is next-generation chocolate — surprisingly authentic in taste and sustainable, too," said Mitsuko Tsuchiya, president of AEON TOPVALU, based in Chiba City. AEON plans to expand both the product line and its distribution in the future.
AEON isn't the only company seeking cacao alternatives. In March, food manufacturer Fuji Oil launched "Anoza M," a chocolate alternative for industrial use. It is made from peas, carob, and chocolate-grade fats and oils. Carob, a legume native to the Mediterranean, is smoked and ground into powder. This produces a smooth texture that rivals traditional chocolate. "Anoza M" by Fuji Oil. (Provided by the company)
Though still not widely known in Japan, carob is being used in baked goods and Western-style confections. It also costs less than cacao, making it an attractive alternative in terms of both taste and cost. Since launching, Fuji Oil has seen growing interest and sample requests from confectionery businesses.
Meanwhile, Hiroshima-based Ajikan, a company specializing in commercial-use foods, developed MELBURD — a chocolate-like product made from roasted burdock root. In August 2024, Ajikan began selling a snack called GOVOCE, which features this burdock-based chocolate, through its online store. It became available at select Natural Lawson convenience stores in November.
The rise of alternative chocolate is driven largely by the cacao crisis. Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana — together responsible for two-thirds of global cacao production — saw severe harvest declines in 2023 due to extreme weather and plant diseases. As a result, cacao prices in New York's futures market soared past a record-high $11,000 per ton earlier this year. Although prices have eased slightly, they remain between $8,000 and $9,000 per ton. That's nearly triple what they were two years ago.
Despite some alternative ingredients like sunflower seeds currently being more expensive than cacao, Tsuchiya noted, "Cacao prices are expected to stay high. By autumn, traditional chocolate could cost as much as these alternatives."
As cacao shortages persist and prices remain high, interest in chocolate alternatives continues to grow.
( Read the article in Japanese . )
Author: Suguru Kojima, The Sankei Shimbun
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