LONDON – 5 December, 2023 – WNWN Food Labs, the first to bring cocoa-free chocolate to market, today announced it has successfully completed the CoLab Tech accelerator with Mondelēz International, Inc., and will showcase its cocoa-free chocolate bars, truffles and coated biscuits at Mondelēz International’s North American headquarters.

CoLab Tech, led by Mondelēz International’s innovation and venture hub SnackFutures, is intended to address the company’s top challenges in sustainability, food technologies, and process technologies. The 12-week curriculum offers hands-on experiences, mentorship, and access to Mondelēz International’s global network of partners and experts.

WNWN is one of nine international start-ups chosen for this first-ever CoLab Tech by Mondelēz International—whose brands include Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Toblerone—and the only company selected that creates an alternative to conventional chocolate.

“The chocolate industry is built on unfair labour practices and environmental destruction, and we cannot implement meaningful change without the participation of companies like Mondelēz, one of the world’s largest chocolate and snack companies,” said Ahrum Pak, WNWN CEO. “This is an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders and explore how we can address production and sustainability issues as collaborators rather than adversaries, so we respect Mondelēz for bringing us to the table.”

Cocoa suppliers and chocolate purveyors are increasingly being challenged on their environmental and human rights harm. In the EU, a ban on cocoa and chocolate linked to deforestation took effect in June, while in the U.S., a federal lawsuit is calling for a block on imports of cocoa harvested by child labour. Globally, Starbucks is under fire for repeated failure to address cocoa supply chain questions.

Cocoa crops are highly vulnerable to climate change, including rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, which has led experts to predict chocolate shortages and supply chain issues in the coming years even as cocoa prices are already up a staggering 66% in the UK and 46% in the U.S.

WNWN’s award-winning choc is dairy-free, palm oil-free, and caffeine-free, in addition to being free from child/slave labour, deforestation, and excessive carbon emissions.

Producing one kilogram of WNWN cocoa-free chocolate emits an average of only 3.8 kg of CO2e, compared to more than 40 kg of CO2e for conventional chocolate.

WNWN dark and plant-based m•lk choc is now available in wholesale packs for worldwide bakeries, restaurant/foodservice, confectionery groups, and CPG/FMCG companies.

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About WNWN Food Labs (WNWN)

WNWN, a UK food tech startup addressing critical problems in food supply chains, creates a win-win situation for consumers, workers, producers, and the planet. The London-based food tech company employs a proprietary fermentation process to transform widely available plant-based ingredients like cereals and legumes to create cocoa-free choc that tastes, melts, snaps and bakes just like conventional chocolate. For more information visit www.wnwnfoodlabs.com.

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