Cacaolab

Cacaolab was founded in 2012 as an R&D company and spin-off of Ghent University. It focuses on innovation and training from bean to praline, translating fundamental science into practical solutions and applications for third parties worldwide. It supports companies ranging from SMEs to multinationals in the cocoa and chocolate manufacturing and processing industry, as well as B2B ingredient and processing equipment manufacturers. Its small-scale experimental production facility is equipped to produce chocolate and a wide variety of confectionery products. Cacaolab offers bilateral and confidential R&D and consulting services, science-driven courses, seminars and workshops on cocoa and chocolate processing, and tailor-made trainings. In 2021 it established an International Open Innovation Centre on Cocoa and Chocolate Processing.

Cacaolab was founded in 2012 as an R&D company and spin-off of Ghent University. Its origins trace to collaboration between the lab of Food Technology and Engineering of Ghent University and the Belgian chocolate federation Choprabisco, supported by the Flemish government, to offer advice and training to companies in the confectionery industry; the advisory centre was operational until 2011. The chocolate research facilities of the lab were officially opened under the name Cacaolab. Cacaolab later moved from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering of Ghent University to its own small-scale experimental production facility, allowing it to make chocolate products according to HACCP standards, and subsequently moved to a larger building to allow further growth of its pilot and training facilities. In 2021 Cacaolab established an International Open Innovation Centre on Cocoa and Chocolate Processing, with the ambition to turn this Flemish institute into the centre of gravity for cocoa- and chocolate-related research and training worldwide. Sparkalis and Cacaolab joined forces to establish this International Open Innovation Centre on Cocoa & Chocolate Processing.

Innovation and training from bean to praline, translating fundamental science into practical solutions for the cocoa and chocolate industry.

1. 1Innovation and Training from Bean to Praline | Cacaolabcacaolab.be
2. 2Our Story: The Path to Innovative Chocolate R&D — Cacaolabcacaolab.be
3. 3Bilateral Contract Work — Cacaolabcacaolab.be
4. 4Cacaolabwikidata.org