NEW TECH FOODS

Finnish dairy and food company Valio has created a new milk chocolate bar using artificial intelligence. “The Bar” is designed by humans, and its recipe is based on AI analysis of milk chocolate lovers’ thoughts, cravings, and tastes worldwide. Valio created the futuristic concept together with local chocolate artists of Kultasuklaa company. The Bar is a proof of concept of what the dairy company's milk powder solution can do and what the future of milk chocolate could look like through the use of AI.

Valio’s senior vice president, Timo Pajari said: “The needs and preferences of global milk chocolate fans are changing. Growing awareness of health challenges affects the confectionery industry with governments around the world already starting to regulate sugar use and consumption. With our Valio Bettersweet solution, the taste remains the same even though the amount of sugar is reduced.”

Last spring the company used AI to analyse over 1.5 million public milk chocolate-related social media discussions around the world and surveyed hundreds of people about their preferences regarding chocolate. The AI analysis was produced by the Finnish company Aiwo Digital in cooperation with Valio’s consumer insight team. The recipe for healthier chocolate was based on AI’s findings which resulted in five different chocolates with less sugar. Each chocolate layer has a different taste and texture designed to fit a different use case: impulse, craving, delight, hunger and relaxation. The topographic design of the bar designed by professional designers allows the layers to be easily separated.