American FDA Offers Ruby Chocolate Temporary Marketing Permit 

Barry Callebaut has been granted a Temporary Marketing Permit (TMP) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, clearing the way to market ruby as chocolate in the USA.

Ruby’s taste, color, and composition, made from the Ruby cocoa bean, required a TMP from the FDA for it to be marketed as the fourth type of chocolate.

“Barry Callebaut has established itself as a pioneer and innovator in chocolate and cocoa, globally. With the approval of this Temporary Marketing Permit, we will move forward with our customers in introducing Ruby as chocolate to the U.S. market,” Peter Boone, CEO & president, Barry Callebaut Americas, said. 

The TMP is an important step towards establishing Ruby chocolate as the fourth type standard of identity for chocolate after dark, milk and white chocolate, the company explains. Ruby chocolate is made from the ruby cocoa bean; through a unique processing method, Barry Callebaut unlocks the flavor and color tone naturally present in the Ruby bean. No berries, berry flavor nor colors are added. The TMP allows Barry Callebaut to formally measure consumer acceptance, in support of a future petition for such a new standard of identity.

In the U.S., Ruby has already been successfully introduced in recent months as ruby cacao bars, ruby truffles and more. Soon the Ruby portfolio will be extended to include decorations, IceCream coatings and more.