--- title: "Unlocking innovation for better chocolate through co-creation" date: 2026-03-04 author: "Sanni Jussila" featured_image: "https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2026/03/Vanhankaupunginsuklaa-1_edited_1975x2400-min.jpg" --- # Unlocking innovation for better chocolate through co-creation # **Unlocking innovation for better chocolate through co-creation** Share How to create natural flavours, reduce added sugar and streamline ingredient lists in chocolate? An application development collaboration between Valio and Finnish chocolatier highlights how to achieve more with milk powder. ![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2025/02/STAR_OF_EXCELLENCE_BIG_RGB_BLUE.png)## Key takeaways - Valio Eila® lactose free milk powders enable natural caramelised flavour development without added flavourings. - Lactose free powders behave identically to standard milk powders in chocolate processing. - Natural sweetness from lactose breakdown supports up to 30% sugar reduction. - Application insights validated both in artisan testing and by Valio’s R&D. - Collaboration with Vanhankaupungin Suklaa highlights a practical co‑development model for manufacturers. ## A shared exploration of chocolate development Chocolate manufacturers today are increasingly looking for ways to differentiate by delivering richer flavour profiles naturally and with healthier options like reduced sugar. But how to do this without compromising the stability of industrial production? To explore how Valio’s specialty milk powders could support these needs, Valio partnered with an award-winning Finnish chocolate-maker, Vanhankaupungin Suklaa, known for hands on experimentation. The founder, **Esa Karsi**, originally a business graduate, is a self-taught chocolatier, who opened his workshop in 2020. Without a traditional confectionery background, Karsi’s approaches ingredients with a fresh mindset, focusing on high quality chocolate products and also lactose free milk chocolate. His chocolates have won multiple awards at Finland’s Ice Cream & Chocolate Carnival. > “For anyone wondering whether lactose free milk powder behaves differently in milk chocolate – it doesn’t. It has exactly the same properties as any milk powder, and then some.” ## Rethinking how flavour develops in chocolate Karsi’s experimental approach made him an ideal partner when Valio set out to develop new confectionary applications – a white chocolate with a caramelized flavour and a milk chocolate with reduced sugar – based around the Valio Eila® milk powders. The shared challenge was one many chocolate manufacturers face: how to achieve richer taste without added aromas or sugar, while maintaining product quality. Together with Valio’s technical sales support specialist **Paula Plathin**, Karsi started solving the challenge utilizing the unique qualities of Valio Eila® lactose free milk powders. In lactose free powders lactose is enzymatically split into glucose and galactose, making them naturally sweeter than traditional powders. These breakdown sugars also support the Maillard reaction, a heat-induced chemical process that creates a caramelized flavour. “For anyone wondering whether lactose free milk powder behaves differently in chocolate – it doesn’t. It has exactly the same properties as any milk powder, and then some”, Karsi assures. ![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2026/03/DarkRoasted_white_choco_malja_1518x1600-min-800x843.jpg) ## Top notch taste – from confectionary to spreads and sauces Karsi and Valio’s Plathin first experimented with the Maillard reaction by heating the chocolate mass, creating the [Caramelized Blonde Chocolate](https://www.valio.com/articles/caramelized-blonde-chocolate/) application. After listening to customer needs, the team refined the recipe and started by roasting the [Valio Eila® Sweet lactose free whole milk powder](https://www.valio.com/products/valio-eila-sweet-lactose-free-whole-milk-powder/) instead. This resulted in Dark Roasted White Chocolate, a new application with a smoother texture and an even more reliable production process. Karsi and Valio also developed [a Sugar Reduced Milk Chocolate](https://www.valio.com/applications/sugar-reduced-milk-chocolate/) using [Valio Eila® PRO lactose free powders](https://www.valio.com/products/valio-eila-pro-lactose-free-whole-milk-powder/), achieving a 30% reduction in added sugar thanks to the powders’ natural sweetness. With these successes under their belt, the team is now venturing into concocting new protein-enriched applications for chocolate spreads and sauces, while Karsi simultaneously continues to develop his selection of premium chocolates with Valio’s powders. ![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2026/03/Vanhankaupunginsuklaa-3_2400x1800-min.jpg) ![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2026/03/Vanhankaupunginsuklaa-2_2400x1800-min.jpg) ## A forward‑looking foundation for chocolate-making – what this means for manufacturers Teaming up with Karsi, Valio’s role has been supportive rather than directive, aiming to explore new opportunities together. Innovation happens when unexpected perspectives are brought together. “This collaboration shows Valio’s willingness to develop and experiment with an open mindset. I listen a lot to their expertise, and there’s real trust in the way we work together”, Karsi explains. This attitude mirrors the way Valio works with industrial chocolate makers globally, assisting customers extensively in how to best utilize ingredients in recipe and application development as well as providing market insights and scaling prototypes to production‑line conditions. For producers aiming to expand their premium portfolio, Valio Eila® specialty milk powders offer a future‑ready foundation – tested in Karsi’s artisanal workshop, validated by Valio’s dairy expertise and ready for scale. ![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2025/10/2400x1350px_Chocolate_Maitosuklaa_-800x450.jpg) ## Learn more about our related solutions [Chocolate & confectionery solutions](https://www.valio.com/industries/chocolate-confectionery/) ## Further reading [![Caramelized blonde chocolate.](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2024/06/blonde_choco_IMG_4512_EDIT-400x300.jpg) Article ##### Caramelized blonde chocolate 4. June 2024 ](https://www.valio.com/articles/caramelized-blonde-chocolate/) [![Coffee. A man and a woman.](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2023/03/VALIO_20170925_CARD_01_245_EDIT-400x267.jpg) Article ##### Health and wellness trend reveals promising opportunities in… 2. February 2026 ](https://www.valio.com/articles/health-and-wellness-trend-reveals-promising-opportunities-in-chocolate-and-confectionery/) [![](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2024/03/bettersweet-white-paper-cover-3d042024-400x383.jpg) Downloadable ##### White paper: Meet the demand for better-for-you chocolate an… 28. March 2024 ](https://www.valio.com/articles/bettersweet-whitepaper/) ## Ready to take your chocolate portfolio further? Explore our solutions and talk with our specialists about co‑developing applications that deliver premium taste, reduced sugar and efficient production. ![Katriina Leigh](https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2023/10/Katriina-Leigh_contact2023-300x400-2.jpg) #### Katriina Leigh Customer Development Manager International Food Solutions Sales First Name Last Name Email Company CountrySelectAfghanistanAland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmer.Virgin Is.AndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua/BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, SabaBosnia-Herz.BotswanaBouvet IslandsBrazilBrit.Ind.Oc.TerBrit.Virgin Is.Brunei Daruss.BulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCARCayman IslandsChadChileChinaChristmas IslndCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCote d’IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicDem. Rep. 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