HONG KONG — Ruby, the fourth chocolate category, becomes available for artisan chocolatiers and chefs. Callebaut Finest Belgian Chocolate ruby RB1 – the first ruby chocolate produced in Belgium by the Callebaut chocolate makers – will be officially available in Hong Kong this September.
To celebrate the launch, RB1 was proudly presented at an exclusive showcase with illustrious chefs for a handful of chocolatiers in Hong Kong.
Ruby RB1: unlearn everything you knew about chocolate
Less than a year after it was first revealed in Shanghai, ruby chocolate will become available to chocolatiers and chefs in Hong Kong as ‘RB1’ by Callebaut. RB1 offers them a new platform through which to express their artisanship and artistry.
Master chocolatier and Belgian chocolate champion, Marijn Coertjens, was in Hong Kong at the showcase and demonstrated several applications using the ruby RB1. Marijn said, “I am very excited that ruby RB1 will soon be formally available in Hong Kong which has the reputation of being one of the world’s culinary capitals. Without exaggerating: ruby is the most exciting thing to happen in the chocolate industry in decades. With ruby, you need to unlearn what you would traditionally do with dark, milk or white chocolate. This chocolate opens up a host of new ideas.”
With its arresting color and unique taste, RB1 satisfies a yet unmet desire for extreme pleasure, delighting all senses. Research shows that it resonates strongly with a new generation of consumers — mainly millennials (18-35 years old) who balance a healthy lifestyle with the quest for extreme pleasure.
“We are proud to offer the chef communities in Hong Kong this fourth category of chocolate under the Callebaut brand and our Finest Belgian Chocolate range,” said Denis Convert, Barry Callebaut’s Vice President for Gourmet in Asia Pacific. “Belgian chocolate has a solid reputation with an image of higher quality standards among the professional chocolate users in Hong Kong. The RB1 recipe has been crafted by the Callebaut chocolate makers in collaboration with Belgian chocolatiers, to encourage creative freedom with its remarkable taste and color. It is low in sweetness, maximizing the fresh fruity character and sour notes.”
Ingenuity and international outlook makes Hong Kong ideal for ruby RB1
A strong purchasing power — and the growing popularity of innovative food products — among consumers will boost chocolate consumption in Hong Kong.
According to analyst firm Euromonitor, value sales of chocolate confectionery segment in Hong Kong grew 3% reaching HKD2.1 billion (US$268m) in 2017. Hong Kong has one of the largest annual per capita chocolate consumption at 1.5 kg in 2017 among Asia Pacific countries — second behind Australia (5.7 kg) and more than Japan (1.2 kg) and Singapore (1.0 kg).
“Consumers in Hong Kong are seeking more than just a product,” said William Gong, Gourmet Sales and Marketing Director for Mainland China and Hong Kong. “Offering ruby chocolate to artisans and chefs will unleash a wave of creativity that will lead to exciting new products and concepts for people to enjoy. Enough reasons to look out for the innovative creations that will soon pop up in Hong Kong.” William expects ruby RB1 will be most attractive to leading hotels, restaurants, cafes as well as bakery and pastry outlets in Hong Kong.
Ruby chocolate, a gift from Mother Nature
Ruby chocolate was discovered more than a decade ago. The invention is the work of the global R&D center of Barry Callebaut, based in Belgium, in collaboration with the Jacobs University (Germany) and over 175 years of expertise in bean selection and chocolate making.
The researchers found out that ruby chocolate was linked to precursors in a specific type of bean: the “ruby” cocoa bean. Identifying the ruby cocoa beans, which hold plenty of these precursors, and finding the best way to process the beans during the chocolate-making process has taken many years of research. RB1 owes its color and specific taste solely to the expert selection and meticulous processing of the ruby beans — no fruit flavoring or colorants are added to the chocolate.
For every bag of RB1, Callebaut sources sustainably grown beans and supports cocoa farmers in cocoa farming communities.
