We speak to Plinio Freitas, vice president of gourmet and marketing at Barry Callebaut APAC, about the fourth variety of chocolate, after white, milk, and dark chocolate
With a pastel pink hue and a pleasantly acidic aroma reminiscent of berries or fresh yoghurt, it is only natural to assume that food colourants or flavourings are present in ruby chocolate. However, the taste and colour naturally occur as a result of the cocoa beans used and the fermentation process.
“Cocoa beans come in different colours, some darker, some more red, and we select the ideal beans,” explains Plinio Freitas, vice president of gourmet and marketing at Barry Callebaut APAC. “Like grapes for wine, cocoa beans are affected by terroir, and ruby cocoa beans grow under unique climate conditions in Ecuador, Brazil, and the Ivory Coast."
The all-natural wonder has been in development at Callebaut since 2004. “The creation of ruby chocolate was a project we had been working on for a long time,” enthuses Freitas, who joined Barry Callebaut 12 years ago. “It was difficult because production is more complex, especially the selection of the right beans.”
See also: Keith Hooker on navigating Kuala Lumpur’s rich culinary landscape
