Et Tu, Fruit?
As mentioned, not all cacao fruit goes to waste: some of pulp surrounding the precious cocoa beans is retained to assist in the fermentation process. You can also find cacao fruit used for it’s own sake, as cooks in cocoa-producing countries including Brazil have long-offered refreshing cacao fruit smoothies, beverages and ice cream. The Kit Kat Chocolatory in Japan, however, is far from anywhere cocoa plants grow so acquiring fresh cacao fruit was and is impracticable. Their solution? Dry the fruit and grind it into powder.
Raising the Bar
Powdered cacao fruit offered Kit Kat’s food formulators a very appealing attribute: its natural bittersweet yet fruity flavor can take the place of cane- or corn-based sweeteners. It’s a rare win-win in that less cacao product is wasted while less sugar – a resource-intensive crop – goes into each chocolate bar. Specifically, the powdered cacao fruit sweetens the 70% dark chocolate coating those signature Kit Kat wafers.
Sweet Deal
Kit Kat Cacao Fruit made its public debut on November 29th of 2019. Chocoholics in Japan can purchase individual bars and/or opt for a 5- or 7- bar assortment box at one of the Kit Kat Chocolatory stores located in Tokyo, Osaka, Kawasaki and Hiroshima. Options for international buyers include ordering online at the Kit Kat Chocolatory website or OMG Japan. (via PR Times)
Looking for a delicious drink to complement these sustainable snack bars? Check out Bag Idea: Disposable Tea Bags Shaped Like Animals!

