Fuji Oil developed ANOZA M (M), an oil-and-fat processed food product that recreates the melt-in-the-mouth texture of real chocolate without using cocoa beans. As the cocoa shortage worsened, the company moved toward launching the product by combining new grain-based ingredients. It targeted a March 2025 launch, and the product also attracted attention during the Valentine's Day sales season.
ANOZA M, a food product for commercial use made with processed fats that delivers a chocolate-like taste without using cocoa beans, was developed by Fuji Oil and is attracting attention as a new option amid the cocoa shock. The development team prototyped grain powders and conducted more than 100 trials before settling on a combination of carob and peas.
The team considered about 20 types of grains, including soybeans, fava beans and malt, to reproduce the flavor. Because kinako alone had too strong a flavor, the team shifted to combining two ingredients to achieve both a chocolate-like character and richness. The product was launched in March 2025 as a milk-chocolate-flavored product made without cocoa-derived ingredients.
After its launch, food manufacturers submitted sample requests one after another, and the product received favorable evaluations from retailers. During the Valentine's Day sales season, it was introduced as the "chocolate of the future" against a backdrop of cocoa shortages, prompting some companies to promote it with the phrase "Is it chocolate?" The company has expressed its intention to continue developing products suited to the times.