FOURTH TYPE CHOCOLATE - RUBY PINK

We usually eat three types of chocolates which are white chocolate, dark chocolate, and just plain milk chocolate…finally after so long and after 10 years of struggle we got a new variety of choclate and that is ruby chocolate, the stuff of Instagram dreams. Yes, you read that right—pink chocolate does exist, and it could hit the market soon.

The fourth type of chocolate offers a totally new taste experience among the varieties of chocolate, which is not bitter, milky or sweet, but a tension between berry fruitiness and luscious smoothness.

“It’s natural, it’s colorful, it’s hedonistic, there’s an indulgence aspect to it, but it keeps the authenticity of chocolate,” Saint-Affrique said. “It has a nice balance that speaks a lot to millennials.”

Swiss manufacturer Barry Callebaut introduced the very first pink-hued cocoa, called ruby chocolate in 2017. It was unveiled at a private event in Shanghai on 5 September, 2017. Each bite has a fruity, berry-like flavor, thanks to the Ruby cocoa beans the chocolate is made from. The Ruby bean grows in countries like Ecuador, Brazil, and the Ivory Coast; those specific beans, along with a unique manufacturing process, create this one-of-a-kind chocolate. 

Nearly two years after its introduction to the world, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally gave Barry Callebaut the go-ahead to sell and market Ruby as chocolate.

Barry Callebaut explained that “Ruby cocoa beans” are one of the three main types of cocoa beans used to manufacture chocolate. They simply select the right beans and use a unique manufacturing step to unlock the pink color and distinct flavor.

FIRST PRODUCT

Ruby first hit the consumer market in January 2018, when Nestle debuted its pink KitKat bars in Japan. It also made its way to Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Now, the raw chocolate bar is hitting the markets in U.S. and Canada.

But how exactly Barry Callebaut produces such blush-colored bars without artificial colors is still a matter of some debate. The manufacturer is treating the process as a closely-guarded trade secret, though some industry insiders think they’re narrowing in on the truth.

So, keep your eyes open for the newest member of the chocolate family. I’m sure you’ll see it start popping up in ice cream flavors and baking recipes.

- Sakshi Verma