Nestlé Germany is taking one of its most iconic brands, a blend of whole cornflakes and chocolate called Choco Crossies, to a younger audience with a new Snack Vibes line that replaces cocoa with a chocolate alternative made from European sunflower seeds. While the original Choco Crossies contain 12.2% cocoa butter and 10.6% cocoa mass, the Snack Vibes line is made with ChoViva, a “cocoa-free, chocolatey indulgence” from German food tech startup Planet A Foods which is claimed to have 80% less emissions compared to conventional chocolate. 

ChoViva starts with sunflower seeds, sugar, and plant-based fats which undergo a “fermentation-like method”, then are roasted and ground. To the resulting concentrate are added more ingredients – plant-based fats and either milk powder or sunflower seed flour, for the vegan version – then the mix is conched “to finally get the perfect creamy and smooth texture,” explains Planet A on its website. “Now, ChoViva is ready to be further processed just like conventional chocolate.” 

The ingredient is said to be “free from preservatives, artificial flavours, enhancers, or other weird additives”. And unlike real cocoa, it is free from theobromine—the ingredient found in cocoa and chocolate that has an effect similar to caffeine.

Planet A said its commercial partnership with Barry Callebaut gave manufacturers “a reliable, additional option to navigate global cocoa market volatility and increasing supply chain requirements”. Soaring cocoa prices as a result of droughts and floods in chocolate-producing regions have made life hard for chocolate manufacturers over the past five or six years; cocoa rose from $2,000-3,000 per ton to $12,000 in 2024.

Reformulation has been one response to the challenge; replacing cocoa with more milk or more inclusions or different types of coatings. 

Snack Vibes’ three flavours contain respectively cornflakes, hazelnuts and salted popcorn. In a shareable snack bag, they “fit exactly into the life rhythm of Gen Z” according to a Nestlé Germany press release.

“A generation that is confronted with a flood of information every day and looks for small time-outs to put the thoughts ‘on mute’. The new varieties have been developed exactly for these mini moments: a snack that is uncomplicated, appeals to the senses and provides a short personal chill vibe,” said Marc Nussbaumer, managing director of the confectionery store at Nestlé Germany.

Naturally, given the Gen Z target audience, the April launch will consist of a TikTok campaign, and collaboration with content creators. A 100-gram pack retails for €2.79 ($3.28).

Planet A Foods said the Nestlé Germany partnership “marks a significant milestone in how global leaders utilize innovative ingredients to drive strategic brand growth”.

ChoViva has features in over 120 products across 10 countries to date, including private labels and well-known brands:

• Rewe Beste Wahl Peanut Butter Cups with ChoViva 
• Jokolade tablet with caramelized hazelnuts and crispy cereals
• Lindt used ChoViva in a 2023 vegan chocolate launch
• German retailer Aldi offers dairy-free Easter mini eggs made with ChoViva
• Sun Rice with ChoViva - cocoa-free chocolate alternative with ground sunflower seeds and puffed rice.