Nestlé has developed a new 70 per cent dark chocolate from cocoa fruit, using leftover material from cocoa plants as the sweetener rather than adding sugar.
The product was developed through a patented technique that uses only cocoa fruit beans and pulp as ingredients, without comprising on taste, texture and quality.
Nestlé will launch the 70 per cent dark chocolate KitKat in Japan over the coming months through the Nestlé KitKat Chocolatory, where the chocolate will have around 40 per cent less sugar than most equivalent bars with added sugar.
The company has hailed it as a “breakthrough idea” as it continues to explore the possibilities of the cocoa fruit and create more products for consumers seeking natural and healthy options.
This follows Nestlé's limited edition release of its Ruby Chocolate KitKat, which is made from rare Ruby cocoa beans.