Case Study
Ingredient: Gerkens® Russet Plus Cocoa Powder
Application: “Zero-Sugar” Electrolytes
Challenge
Help a co-manufacturer add chocolate flavor to five SKUs of electrolyte stick packs.
Process
After a check-in conversation with this customer, one of our Account Managers discovered that they were looking to sample cocoa powder for a new line of electrolyte stick packs. The co-manufacturer’s client was getting positive consumer feedback regarding their chocolate SKU and wanted to expand their line with five more chocolate flavor options.
Our Account Manager asked preliminary questions regarding what they desired in terms of taste profile and color. Based on their
feedback, we recommended that they sample one of the Gerkens® cocoa powders called Russet Plus. Russet Plus is a standard fat cocoa powder (10/12), which is lightly alkalized to achieve a medium reddish brown color. The flavor is described as full-bodied, which imparts a European bittersweet flavor.
Solution
After test trials, the customer was thrilled about the taste profile, dispersibility and color that the Russet Plus acheived in their electrolyte stick packs. They placed an initial order for 52,000 lbs to meet the production needs for their client’s 5 new SKUs.