Chocolate and confectionery

Permissible indulgence with reduced sugar, digestive comfort and clean label – pure ingredients for manufacturing better-for-you confectionery products and chocolate.

Health-conscious consumers demand a combination of indulgence and healthiness from confectionery and chocolate products.

Valio’s patented technology and sustainably produced Finnish dairy ingredients allow food and beverage producers to innovate new products with better nutritional values and authentic sensory experiences.

Our solution enables the manufacture of milk chocolate with the health claim of ‘30% less sugar’. No artificial sweeteners are needed.

We also offer ingredients and recipes for manufacturing lactose free or low lactose products for digestive comfort. Our clean label solutions enable the reformulation of products by replacing E-code ingredients while maintaining excellent taste.

Valio’s experienced staff is happy to help you with technical support, recipes, samples, and assistance in meeting regulations and enhancing the added value of your products.

Our application areas are milk and white chocolate, sweet spreads, fat-based fillings, fudges, toffee, milk caramel and cacao drink powders.

Solutions for chocolate and confectionery

Valio Bettersweet™ for better products

Valio Bettersweet™ is a service solution that enables natural sugar reduction in any milk chocolate product. Without touching chocolate's taste or texture. Not. One. Single. Bit.

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Sugar reduction in chocolate

Make ‘30% less sugar’ chocolate without artificial sweeteners.

OVERVIEW - Naturality continues to drive sugar reduction innovation Less sugar, clean label, and natural – that is what consumers are looking for in their milk chocolate. With milk-based protein, confectionery manufacturers can reduce sugar levels without compromising important product qualities such as taste and texture. No artificial sweeteners or preservatives are needed.

Implementation of sugar taxes and the ongoing health and wellness trends have created a hot market for new and innovative reduced sugar products. Consumers are looking to avoid sugar also in the indulgence category. Naturally sugar reduced products are the best match for consumers’ better-for-you demand.

BENEFITS: The trend of sugar avoidance sets a challenge for confectionery manufacturers, as sugar is the main component in creating the sweet taste of chocolate. Sugar also enhances the texture and prolongs the shelf life of chocolate and confectionery products.

Valio’s solution enables:

  • manufacture of clean label chocolate with the health claim of ‘30% less sugar’.
    • A peer reviewed article reports that ‘30% less sugar’ chocolate made with Valio's solution was rated equal in taste and texture to regular chocolate.
  • Sugar is reduced naturally by adding high quality milk ingredients.
  • No artificial sweeteners, no laxative or other side effects.
  • Securing an authentic taste and texture.
  • Possibility for the reduced sugar / 30% less sugar package claim.

APPLICATIONS: Chocolate / Sweet spreads / Fat based fillings / Fudges/ Toffee, milk caramel / Cacao drink powder

PRODUCTS: Valio milk powders for sugar reduction:

  • Sugar reduction solutions in chocolate industry

    What kind of discussion is going on in the market?

  • Trends

    Why is sugar reduction in chocolate a hot topic right now?

Solutions
Sugar-related restrictions in food are tightening – gain competitive edge with reduced sugar products
Insights
Four reasons for using milk-based protein in ‘reduced sugar’ chocolate
Sustainability
Sustainably produced ingredients help food manufacturers compete in the market

On demand webinar on sugar reduction

Hear the latest insights on the use of milk-based protein in sugar reduction and make delicious ‘30% less sugar’ chocolate with no artificial sweeteners.

Watch webinar

Contact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

We have several recipes ready to try for clients who wish to begin manufacturing chocolate with a lower sugar content. And if you wish to use own recipes, our experts can help in finding the optimal blend. Contact us to get started.

Dennis van der Veer

Head of Customer DevelopmentContact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

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Request a chocolate sample

Request a ‘30% less sugar’ chocolate sample and get a taste of Valio Bettersweet’s potential.

Order sample

Lactose free chocolate and confectionery

Meet the demand for digestive wellness with lactose free or low lactose chocolate.

OVERVIEW Consumers are seeking digestive comfort and making food choices accordingly. Globally, millions suffer from a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms such as lactose intolerance and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).The trend of gut-friendly food products also applies to confectionery and chocolates.

Confectionery and chocolate manufacturers can meet the trend of digestive comfort and generate a whole new market potential by producing lactose free or low lactose products. With Valio’s cutting-edge dairy ingredients, you can manufacture delicious free from lactose chocolate products with a rich and milky, slightly toffee-like taste.

BENEFITS: Traditional milk chocolate can be converted into lactose free chocolate and meet the trend of digestive wellness. Modifying existing recipes to lactose free is easy by replacing regular milk powders with Valio Eila® lactose free milk powder.

Digestive wellness is provided by fully predigested lactose enabling products with as low as 0.01% lactose. The taste remains natural and fresh thanks to Valio’s patented production method with filteration and unchanged milk mineral composition.

With Valio Eila® lactose free powders you can:

  • Produce milk chocolate with significant reduction in lactose level enabling ‘Lactose free’ claim
  • Easily replace standard milk or milk powder
    • Have benefits in production from Valio Eila® PRO powders/ less hydroscopic quality
    • Also the dosage can be 20-25% lower
  • Choose different taste profiles
    • Natural, fresh and full milky taste with Valio Eila® PRO
    • Sweet milky taste with caramel and roasted flavors with Valio Eila® SWEET

APPLICATIONS: Chocolate, milk and white / Sweet spreads / Fat based fillings / Fudges/ Toffee, milk caramel /Cacao drink powder

PRODUCTS:

Insights
How to offer indulgent treats good for body and mind
Insights
Wellness trend reveals opportunities in confectionery
Insights
Lactose free plays key role in digestive wellness trend with high growth opportunities

Be inspired by our lactose free info package!

Our experts put together useful information about lactose free solutions and ideas on how to expand your product range to meet the demand. We wish you a happy reading!

Download info package

Contact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

Please be in touch if you have any questions to our products or solutions or if you need any support from us.

Dennis van der Veer

Head of Customer DevelopmentContact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Company *

Country *

MESSAGE *

Clean label

Clean label and naturalness in confectionery and cocoa

OVERVIEW The drive towards clean label products with recognisable ingredient lists has have been the food and beverage industry megatrend. Consumers are demanding transparency about the ingredients, as well as the origins and methods of production.

CONSUMERS EXPECTATIONS FOR CLEAN LABEL PRODUCTS:

  • No artificial flavors, preservatives, additives
  • Minimally processed, non-GMO
  • Short and familiar ingredient list, real and nutrious
  • Transparency in supply chain
  • Sustainably sourced, origin of ingredients

APPLICATIONS: Chocolate, milk and white/Sweet spreads/Fat based fillings/Fudges/Toffee, milk caramel/Cacao drink

PRODUCTS With Valio Eila® powders you can obtain cleaner label and enhance natural image with less ingredients.

Eila PRO EILA SWEET
SMP WMP SMP WMP
Lactose free ++ ++ ++ ++
Sweet taste* ++ ++
Fresh milky taste* ++ ++
Creaminess* + +
Caramelized* + + + +
Sugar reduction +++ ++ ++
Improves color ++ ++ ++ ++
Improves texture + ++ ++
Improves nutrition ++ ++

*Improves taste

Capitalise on the better-for-you trend with Valio Bettersweet™ solution

This white paper explains how we can help chocolate and confectionery manufacturers:

  • Meet the demand for better-for-you chocolate and confectionery
  • Reduce sugar in chocolate by up to 30% without sweeteners
  • Provide lactose-reduced treats for millions seeking digestive comfort
Download white paper

Contact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

Please be in touch if you have any questions to our products or solutions or if you need any support from us.

Dennis van der Veer

Head of Customer DevelopmentContact our specialist for additional information, technical support and co-creation projects.

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Company *

Country *

MESSAGE *