Upcycling cocoa husks for zero-waste chocolate making

Sohi Corp and Tokinosu Co., Ltd. have joined forces to repurpose discarded cocoa husks into usable raw material for chocolate. The debut product, aptly named “Re:Cacao Terrine,” will hit the shelves at Normandie Chocolat on September 25.

Typically, chocolate production utilizes only 5-10% of the cocoa pod, which consists of the cocoa beans, leaving the remaining 90-95% to be discarded. This wasteful trend, confirmed by data from the Japan Chocolate and Cocoa Association, has long been a subject of concern in the chocolate industry.

However, this collaboration has given new life to the discarded cocoa husks, which are often considered to have low utility as a chocolate ingredient. Under the banner of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Normandie Chocolat has been eager to explore zero-waste options and showed particular interest in Sohi Corp’s “UP0TECH®” upcycling technology.

The product’s name, “Re:Cacao Terrine,” encapsulates the ethos of reusability and recycling. The prefix “Re” signifies repetition and recurrence, pointing to the sustainable, circular economy that the companies aim to contribute to. Additionally, it subtly taps into the emotional experience of conversation and reciprocity, echoing the pleasure of receiving a reply email marked with “Re:” in the subject line.

Normandie Chocolat, which has been in operation since 2019 in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture, is known for managing the complete chocolate-making process in-house. The chocolatier has announced that it will launch a new brand, “Cacao no Ki (Tree of Cocoa),” starting October 2023, adding another feather in its cap for sustainable practices in the industry.