UK-based innovator WNWN Food Labs – the first to bring cocoa-free chocolate to market – has unveiled the world’s first cocoa-free chocolate Easter egg, developed by its in-house chocolatier.  

 

The Wegg is 15cm high and 10cm wide, weighs approximately 100g, and has nutty, malty notes with a smooth dulce de leche finish. Inside the Wegg is a surprise filling, another cocoa-free choc creation from WNWN. 

Celebrating Easter ethically and sustainably

“Having launched the first cocoa-free chocolate products, we recognised an opportunity to create the first, and currently only, cocoa-free choc egg, to show that Easter should be celebrated ethically and sustainably,” said WNWN CTO Dr Johnny Drain.

 

There is a caveat, however: The Wegg is not currently for sale – it will be awarded to an Instagram follower at random via a contest running Tuesday 3 April until 23:59 GMT Easter Monday (10 April 2023). The winner will also receive a certificate of authenticity. (NB: The winner must reside in the UK.) 

“While this is not yet a consumer product, due to our scale-up efforts, you shouldn’t be surprised to see the Wegg in baskets next year,” added its CTO.

Fermenting cereals and legumes for authentic choc taste

 

WNWN (pronounced “win-win”) employs a proprietary fermentation process to transform widely available plant-based ingredients like cereals and legumes to create cocoa-free choc that tastes, melts, snaps and bakes just like conventional chocolate. 

It is vegan, caffeine-free, gluten-free, palm oil-free, lower in sugar than comparable products. 

A response to eco and child-labour concerns surrounding cocoa

Cocoa-free WNWN products produce 80 per cent less carbon emissions than conventional chocolates, based on an internal lifecycle analysis.  

 

Consumers are increasingly concerned about deforestation, habitat destruction, and unfair labour practices in the conventional chocolate supply chain. More than a million child labourers are estimated to work in Ivory Coast and Ghana, where three-quarters of the world’s cocoa is grown.  

 

Cocoa crops are also vulnerable due to climate change, including rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, which has led experts to predict chocolate shortages in the coming years.