WNWN Food Labs, maker of cocoa-free chocolate, announced it has successfully completed the CoLab Tech accelerator with Mondelēz International, Inc., and will showcase its cocoa-free chocolate bars, truffles and coated biscuits at Mondelēz International’s North American headquarters.
CoLab Tech, led by Mondelēz International’s innovation and venture hub SnackFutures, is intended to address the company’s top challenges in sustainability, food technologies, and process technologies. The 12-week curriculum offers hands-on experiences, mentorship, and access to Mondelēz International’s global network of partners and experts.
WNWN is one of nine international start-ups chosen for this first-ever CoLab Tech by Mondelēz International—whose brands include Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Toblerone—and the only company selected that creates an alternative to conventional chocolate.
Coca suppliers and chocolate purveyors are increasingly being challenged on their environmental and human rights harm. In the EU, a ban on cocoa and chocolate linked to deforestation took effect in June, while in the US, a federal lawsuit is calling for a block on imports of cocoa harvested by child labor. Globally, Starbucks is under fire for repeated failure to address cocoa supply chain questions.
Cocoa crops are highly vulnerable to climate change, including rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, which has led experts to predict chocolate shortages and supply chain issues in the coming years even as cocoa prices are already up a staggering 66% in the UK and 46% in the U.S.
WNWN’s award-winning choc is dairy-free, palm oil-free, and caffeine-free, in addition to being free from child/slave labor, deforestation, and excessive carbon emissions. Producing one kilogram of WNWN cocoa-free chocolate emits an average of only 3.8kg of CO2e, compared to more than 40kg of CO2e for conventional chocolate.
WNWN dark and plant-based m•lk choc is now available in wholesale packs for worldwide bakeries, restaurant/foodservice, confectionery groups, and CPG/FMCG companies.
