Foreverland fires up cocoa-free chocolate factory in Italy: 'We're entering full-scale production'

Italian foodtech startup Foreverland has opened its first large-scale production facility in Puglia, southern Italy, as it looks to scale manufacturing of its cocoa-free chocolate alternative.

Massimo Sabatini, Foreverland’s co-founder and CEO, says the new facility represents a shift “from pilot projects to full-scale production.”

The new plant gives the company the capacity to produce more than 500 tonnes of its flagship ingredient, Choruba, per year. The site also includes a pilot fermentation room for testing and refining processing methods.

Chocolate without the cocoa

Foreverland, founded in 2023 by Sabatini, Riccardo Bottiroli, Giuseppe D’Alessandro, and Massimo Brochetta, is one of several startups making cocoa-free chocolate.

The company's main product Choruba is made from crops like carob, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas. It is designed to replicate chocolate’s taste and texture while reducing reliance on cocoa – a commodity often subject to price volatility and sustainability challenges, primarily linked to deforestation.

Foreverland raised €3.4m in seed funding last year, backed by lead investors Grey Silo Ventures, Eatable Adventures, and Kost Capital.

Retail partnerships

Alongside the plant launch, Foreverland has entered its fourth retail partnership, teaming up with Italian protein startup Small Giants to launch Choruba Protein Bites – vegan, high-protein snacks coated with the company’s cocoa-free chocolate.

Sabatini says the new factory will allow it to scale fast and strike more partnerships with food retailers. The company is reportedly in talks to expand into France and the Nordics, building on its presence in Italy and Germany.