How many types of chocolates can you name? Probably three: dark, milk and white; Well you are missing one: ruby chocolate! How cool is this? Pink chocolate! A must for all you Instagram lovers, but let’s see how this came into light.

What is Pink chocolate?
A few months ago, after over a decade of research, scientists discovered that they can extract a powder from the ruby cocoa bean to give the chocolate its pink color.

The research was undertaken by Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest cocoa processor, based in Zurich. The company claims that ruby is the first new natural color of chocolate in over 80 years that is, since Nestlé unveiled white chocolate. These cocoa beans are grown in Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Brazil and are not genetically modify, the pink color is naturally present in it.

Pink being an artificial looking color for chocolate, you might wonder what it tastes like. The company describes its flavor as “a tension between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness” and emphasizes that no artificial berry flavors were added during the process.

This might sound almost futuristic but it actually is already here. Although we may need to wait a few more months to definitely see pink chocolate in the supermarket, you must have seen the new pink Kit Kat that was released in January. There you have it, it already happened but you probably thought it only was the classic snack with artificial color. Well no, it really was the first brand to launch the ruby chocolate. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and try it!

Colored food trend

Ruby chocolate is coming at the right time, a time where food have the most unexpected colors (unicorn cupcakes, black ice cream, rainbow cakes…), ruby chocolate will soon be the new trend on Instagram! We are about to see Millennials go crazy with it: what’s better than a naturally colored chocolate that matches your yoga mat? (Guys, do not worry, Switzerland says to have discovered blue wine, to match your tie).

Most importantly, knowing that the world is more and more health-conscious, this ruby chocolate is the perfect way to replace sweet and artificially flavored strawberry chocolate with a healthier one. Additionally, it adds a new dimension to the experience as it targets all of your five senses, adding your sight.

Hence, it makes your rethink everything you knew about chocolate. It also comes at the right time for another important reason: Nestlé says to be witnessing its slowest global sales growth in over twenty years and Hershey is planning on cutting a big number of jobs. Ruby might therefore replace it very soon, as it follows current food trends, isn’t as sweet as white chocolate and is completely natural.

This type of chocolate raised a great interest in China, which was surprising since it is the not the country that consumes the most chocolate. The latter shows the extent to which ruby chocolate will disrupt the industry.

However, its popularity beyond social media also depends on its compatibility to use it just like the three other types of chocolates: melt it, temper it, mold it…

Still, you should have to wait about 6 more months before seeing it in your supermarket. But when it does, be assured of the invasion of hashtags, pictures, Instastories and many work of arts that will make it even trendier.

Chiara Eckenschwiller is a EHL Bachelor Student

Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) is an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality and has been a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893. It has created and inspired a unique professional community of over 25,000 hospitality managers, united by the values and the legacy of EHL.

EHL is a leading university that provides learning solutions for enthusiastic, talented and ambitious students from over 100 different countries. With undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, EHL offers its students a range of on-campus and online education opportunities at different stages of their professional journey.

EHL is regularly recognized as the best hotel management school in the world with the highest graduate employment rates in the industry. EHL is a member of EHL Holding SA, a Group dedicated to hospitality management education.

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