2026: A Look Ahead at the Year in Chocolate & Cocoa | #PSC 171
Updated: Episode 171 of #PodSaveChocolate is a look forward at the stories and trends that will shape the Year in Chocolate, 2026.
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Overview - Episode 171
Episode 170 of PodSaveChocolate examined stories about chocolate and cocoa that I found consequential, underreported, or just plain fun in 2025. Click the card below for that intro.
Clay Gordon
In this episode, I will gaze into my crystal ball and take a look at stories and trends that will be consequential (or not) in 2026.
Not-Trend Stories to Follow in 2026
1️⃣ the price of cocoa
1️⃣🅰️ the EUDR
1️⃣🅱️ alt.cocoa & alt.chocolate
1️⃣ ⋯ 🔤 sustainability, traceability, CSR, etc.
2️⃣ heavy metals/food safety
Trends to Watch (or not) in 2026
TL;DR: The lists tend to be outlet-centric, but overall, trend reports tend to focus on wellness (plant-based, functional ingredients like adaptogens, botanicals), sensory experiences (rich textures, bold global flavors like pistachio, nostalgic "newstalgia"), and purposeful indulgence (traceability, sustainable packaging, mini formats for portion control), with an emphasis on multi-sensory, story-driven, and ethically conscious treats that blend health with indulgence.
- Whither Dubai (pistachio)? (The importance of understanding artificial scarcity and the LTO.)
- Functionality – Life extension (theobromine)? Collagen? Protein and (vs) Fiber? Vitamins?
- Tech: Will new replacements (GRAS v novel) for palm oil hit the market? Is a new understanding of Fermentation a (the) key? A replacement tech for visual cut tests?
- Mergers (Mars/Kellanova), Acquisitions (Ritter/Chocolove), and Divestitures (Barry Callebaut)?
- Reformulation for GLP-1 “compatibility?”
- The general nature of “innovation” in industrial confectionery.
The Featured Image
[L]: The original image before editing. [R]: The image after editing.
The editing process consisted of cropping and flipping the image (in Photoshop), then (in Luminar NEO) masking the (new) right-hand side and manipulating the colors to bring out the colors of the sky in the (new) right side of the image. The result was reopened in Photoshop.
Comments? Questions?
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Episode Hashtags and Socials
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat
#specialtychocolate #craftchocolate #beantobar
#PodSaveChoc #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife
Future Episodes
2026: The Year Ahead
TBD
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Clay Gordon
Clay Gordon
Audio-only podcasts