I was intrigued to hear that food production company Voyage Foods is focused on building one-for-one alternatives for the world’s favorite foods, and I accepted an offer to try some.
The company recently completed its Mason, Ohio facility, which is producing bean-free coffee, cocoa-free chocolate and allergen-free spreads (e.g., plant-based nut butters) for the largest food & beverage companies in the world.
So what is bean-free coffee made from, and what does it taste like? The answer to the former is roasted chickpeas, rice hulls and caffeine from green tea. Surprisingly, the result mimics real coffee without the bitterness, and I enjoyed it.
Voyage Foods noted in a 2024 announcement that bean-free coffee is more price-stable and more than 40% cheaper than traditional coffee.
“Given the current dynamics of the coffee market, food and beverage suppliers are uneasy about supply-chain volatility as well as fulfilling their triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit,” Voyage Foods Founder and CEO Adam Maxwell said in a statement. “There will always be a place for premium, fair-trade, single-origin coffee, and that’s not our target—we intend to make the biggest possible impact, and we’ll do that by supplying an eco-friendlier, ethically made alternative to commodity coffee.”
Though the cocoa-free chocolate malt balls lacked resemblance to chocolate, I liked them for their strong malty flavor and crunchy texture. On the other hand, the tasty cocoa-free chocolate almonds were just like regular chocolate-covered almonds, and you would not know the difference if someone didn’t tell you.
I didn’t try any of the spreads, but I did sample some vegan chocolate. The mild version was delectably sweet like regular chocolate, just not creamy. Meanwhile, the dark vegan chocolate tasted like the mild version and was not bitter like most dark chocolate.
Of note, Voyage Foods has transitioned from selling products for retail to selling to commercial customers.
Photo by Voyage FoodsÂ
