Swiss Chocolatiers unveils it’s ruby pink aphrodisiac

Barry Callebaut, a giant Swiss chocolate producer, has introduced what it describes as a new type of chocolate made from “Ruby” cocoa beans.

Unveiled in Shanghai on Tuesday, Callebaut’s rosy hue will add a pop of color to the chocolate family, which currently consists only of dark, milk, and white. It is the first time a new chocolate has been created since Nestlé introduced the world to white chocolate some 80 years ago.

“The fourth type in chocolate offers a totally new taste experience, which is not bitter, milky or sweet, but a tension between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness,” it said in a statement.

Barry Callebaut said that no berries or berry flavoring were used to produce the chocolate. Instead, the bean’s flavoring was unlocked through an “innovative process that took many years to develop.” The company has been developing its ruby chocolate for the past 13 years.

The pink color was discovered during experiments with cocoa beans in Callebaut’s labs, and its researchers partnered with a private institution in Germany to further study the chemical compounds of cocoa beans. “Ruby” beans can be found in Ecuador, Brazil and the Ivory Coast, and they come from the same species of cacao that produces the chocolate we know and love.

Barry Callebaut is one of the world’s biggest chocolate producers, with annual sales approaching $7 billion. It has almost 10,000 employees. The company doesn’t sell its chocolate directly to consumers. Instead, it supplies its products to global chocolate makers.