AAK, a leading provider of value-adding vegetable oils and fats, has developed Akospread, a range of fats for chocolate and nut-based spread applications that guarantees excellent stability, spreadability, visual appeal, texture and flavor.

When used in chocolate and nut spreads, Akospread delivers superior stability throughout the shelf life of the product – even in high nut content recipes, which are prone to oil separation.

A selection of Akospread solutions are available, tailored for different applications:

Spreads with a high percentage of nuts

Products sold in warmer climates, where stability is a greater issue

Applications that are high in liquid oil

Spreads made with blends of non-hydrogenated, non-trans, and low-saturated fats for clean label appeal

Spreads based on shea oil for palm oil-free labels

Growth is being driven by consumers enjoying sweet spreads in new ways. For example, office workers and young people increasingly view a sweet spread on bread as a quick and healthy breakfast solution. Dipping biscuits or baked goods into spreads, or eating spreads straight from the jar with a spoon, is also becoming more popular.

“The sweet spreads category is benefiting from growing awareness of the favorable health effects associated with consumption of nuts,” says Marco Oomen, AAK’s global business director for chocolate & confectionery fats. “In particular, spreads that are high in protein and unsaturated fats satisfy consumer perceptions of a healthier snack.”

Akospread will enable companies to overcome the formulation and manufacturing challenges associated with sweet spreads to deliver high-quality products that align with this market trend, he adds.