The secret of bliss-producing chocolate products


Katy Cole
Technical Services Manager
Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate

Certain occasions just call out for chocolate, a little reward to celebrate a success or a simple pleasure during a well-deserved break in the day. That's when consumers reach for confections and baked goods made with high-end cocoa and chocolate, because these indulgences impart pleasure that is worth the calories.

Consumers eat decadent treats and desserts to feel good, not to fulfill nutritional requirements. Chocolate tends to be part of many social activities, too, particularly at this time of year. During the winter holidays, cooks everywhere dig out their fudge recipes and candy thermometers in anticipation of cookie exchanges, parties and gift-giving.

From a delicate truffle to a slice of moist chocolate cake spread with buttercream icing topped with chocolate decorations, low-quality ingredients just won't cut it; consumers won't squander calories on something they don’t think is 100% satisfying. Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate products require high-quality ingredients.

To achieve a rich, velvety taste and mouthfeel, Cargill's customers turn to brands like Wilbur® Chocolate, Peter's® Chocolate, Veliche® Chocolate and Gerkens® Cocoa Powder.

Wilbur Chocolate imparts a bold, American flavor profile to bakery items, snacks and confections.

Peter's Chocolate is a Swiss-style chocolate made by the company that invented milk chocolate. It's a favorite of high-end confectioners, chocolatiers, pastry chefs and ice cream manufacturers.

Veliche Chocolate, a Belgian chocolate naturally flavored with vanilla and non-alkalized liquors, is an option for chocolatiers and pastry chefs.

Gerken's brand is a complete range of medium- to high-fat cocoa powders with many choices of color and flavor profiles. Produced by our plants in Holland, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, France and Brazil, Gerkens has the perfect powder for bakery and beverage applications.

Cargill's cocoa and chocolate brands satisfy the demand for every major trend in the indulgent chocolate space, including higher percentages of cocoa solids for an intense chocolate flavor profile.

In the confectionary space, our high-end chocolate features a velvety texture that blends very nicely with the creamy centers of truffles. Drizzled, sprinkled or dipped, chocolate ups the temptation factor of just about any dessert or candy.

For bakery applications such as cookies and brownies, Wilbur inclusions such as large chocolate chunks impart an appealing, texture and produce a strong chocolate flavor punch. At the same time, cocoa powders with stronger, darker flavor profiles look and taste more decadent than their milder counterparts.

Despite the profusion of different types of chocolate, premium chocolate is still something special. This is why, in contrast with a gunnysack of inferior chocolate, a single beautiful truffle is endlessly satisfying. And that's what chocolate is all about.

~Katy Cole is a technical services manager at Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate. She has been with Cargill for all of her 15 years in the industry.