Ardent Mills, the premier flour-milling and ingredient company, today introduced Cocoa Replace – a wheat-based, clean-label solution to cocoa powder – developed in response to customer needs for ingredient flexibility, cost control and supply assurance. Designed to replace 25% of cocoa powder in cakes, brownies, cookies and muffins, Cocoa Replace is the latest innovation in Ardent Mills’ growing portfolio of cost-effective, label-friendly ingredient solutions.
Ardent Mills Cocoa Replace is introduced at a pivotal moment for food manufacturers, as ongoing ingredient volatility challenges both cost management and supply chain assurance. With cocoa prices rising nearly 400% over the past decade1, this solution helps brands maintain product flavor and performance while navigating broader pressures—from supply disruption to evolving consumer demand for cleaner, simpler ingredients.
Cost-Effective & Consumer-Friendly
Cocoa Replace can be substituted for up to 25% of cocoa powder in standard formulations. Unlike other solutions on the market, Cocoa Replace is a single-ingredient product and therefore requires a minimal label change in wheat-based goods—streamlining reformulation for manufacturers and protecting brand trust at the shelf. In addition to being a simple solution, it is also vegan, kosher-certified and non-GMO.
Recognizing the complexity of cocoa flavor, and the challenges to replicating it in a replacement product, Ardent Mills validated the solution through comprehensive sensory trials with both trained panels and consumers. Results from both sensory screening trials by highly trained sensory experts and from consumers demonstrated that Cocoa Replace closely matches cocoa powder in sensory experience and acceptability, making it a viable alternative to cocoa in baking applications up to 25%2.
“Cocoa Replace is a targeted response to cocoa market volatility, but it’s also part of a broader strategy,” said Angie Goldberg, chief growth officer at Ardent Mills. “We’re focused on helping our customers build resilience into their supply chains and formulation strategies—supporting not just the challenges they face today, but the ones coming next.”
Creating Holistic Customer Solutions
Cocoa Replace reflects Ardent Mills’ ongoing effort to address customer challenges through purposeful innovation — helping customers strengthen supply reliability, reduce ingredient costs and respond to shifting market demands. Like Ardent Mills Egg Replace, Cocoa Replace is part of a purposeful pipeline designed to help food brands adapt faster and reformulate with confidence.
“Cocoa Replace is a powerful example of how Ardent Mills equips customers to navigate disruption with practical, high-impact solutions,” said Sergio Machado, senior director of research & development. “This ingredient innovation showcases our R&D agility and our ability to collaborate closely with customers to transform real-time market challenges—whether rising input costs, clean-label reformulations or shifting consumer expectations—into scalable, commercial-ready innovations.”
