Pattissier by Aalast vs. Other Top Chocolate Brands – A Delectable Comparison
Are you a chocolate enthusiast on the hunt for the best chocolate brands? Well, you are in luck because we have put all the famous chocolate brands in Dubai to the test to see if they can compete with or even come close to the rich experience provided by Pattissier by Aalast. Let’s get this chocolate fest started!
What is Pattissier by Aalast?
Aalast is a chocolate brand that produces multiple types of chocolates operating out of Singapore. These chocolates are of truly fine quality, including both chocolate compounds and Couvertures. The company was founded by Richard and Connie in 2003. It has various credentials throughout its successful lifetime with the following certifications and awards:
- Kosher certification in 2004
- Halal certification in 2005
- HACCP in 2006
- ISO 9001 and 22000 in 2012
- FSSC 22000 in 2014
- AVA Food Safety Silver Award in 2015
- ISO 14001 in 2019
In 2021, Aalast was acquired by Cargill, and its production line has more than doubled in recent years. The company has around six brands under its belt, one of which happens to be Pattissier in the food service range of Aalast. Pattissier by Aalast is perfect for bakers looking to make chocolatey creations without compromising on taste and consistency.
The Difference Between Various Chocolate Brands in UAE
In this comparison, we will be pitting the best chocolates in UAE against each other, namely, chocolates from Pattissier by Aalast, Callebaut, and Valrhona. Let’s start!
1. Cocoa Cultivation
The places where a brand acquires its cocoa play a huge role in how the batch of chocolate made from it will turn out. Here are the locations where each of the three best chocolate brands are sourced from:
Pattissier by Aalast
Aalast has been known to cultivate cocoa in West Africa and Latin America.
Callebaut
Callebaut is a Belgian chocolate brand that sources its cocoa from various places around the equator, such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Valrhona
Valrhona is extracted from the cocoa trees in regions with tropical weather, including the Caribbean, Africa, and South America.
2. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Practices
All three brands of chocolates source their ingredients through sustainable means, and their production process also uses eco-friendly practices:
Pattissier by Aalast
Cargill has been known to uphold the UN Sustainable Development Goals by implementing a step-by-step action plan. This entailed the introduction of seminars for cocoa farmers, partnering with CARE( a humanitarian organization) to build communities, co-founding the UTZ cocoa certification, opening the first farmer field schools, and producing the first UTZ-certified cocoa beans and genuine chocolates from those beans.
Additionally, Cargill also partook in selling UTZ-certified cocoa in North America, establishing the Cargill Coop Academy for farmer training, committing to the Cocoa Action established by the World Cocoa Foundation, launching the promise solution, and finally winning the award for sustainability in 2023 at the World Confectionery Conference.
Callebaut
Callebaut launched Forever Chocolate as a sustainability strategy. The development and execution of this strategy is based on four key pillars: to ensure the prosperity of farmers, to uphold human rights, to only use sustainable ingredients sourced using eco-friendly practices, and to aid nature conservation.
Due to its efforts, Callebaut won the Sustainable Food Awards 2021, got the Seeds for Change award, scored an ‘A’ and a Leadership level rating by the CDP for transparency on climate change, won the Golden Novum Design Award, and the Callebaut’s Forever Chocolate was awarded BOLDest sustainability award.
Valrhona
Valrhona has certifications that attest to its sustainability, including B Corp, ISO (14001, 45001, and 50001), OHSAS 18001, Authorized Economic operator accreditation, FSSC 22000, Gold membership of Ecovadis, and commitment to FRET21 initiative.
3. Labor
All three companies are focused on reducing child labor to zero, irrespective of the poor economic state of the countries from which they source their raw ingredients. Each brand goes about implementing different policies to ensure no human rights are being violated and the farmers can work in a safe environment.
Pattissier by Aalast
Cargill, which currently owns Pattissier by Aalast, launched its various global initiatives to protect the human rights of workers and local communities. Demanding that none of its suppliers use forced or child labor, the company ensures that it has a transparent and traceable supply chain.
Callebaut
Callebaut, being partnered with the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, has implemented a number of strategies to ensure that there are no cases of child or forced labor within their supply chain. They opt for complete traceability and predict that they can stop all forms of child labor by 2025.
Valrhona
Valrhona is currently a member of the International Cocoa Initiative NGO, which rolls out various tried and tested Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems in the most at-risk countries to ensure zero forced or child labor.
4. Varieties and Taste
Each of these milk and dark chocolate brands are known for their distinct flavour profiles. Baking enthusiasts tend to use use either Cacao Ivory compound or Couverture chocolate to create their delicious edible marvels. However, the best types of chocolate for baking is Couverture as it has a richer flavor profile and it is made from cocoa butter instead of vegetable, coconut, or palm oils.
Pattissier by Aalast
The Pattissier by Aalast has a wide variety of four Couverture chocolates, perfect for baking. These include the 58% dark chocolate, and the 61% dark chocolate, the white chocolate, and the milk chocolate.
- The 58% dark chocolate exhibits subtle cocoa flavors and a gentle fruity undertone, complemented by a hint of nuttiness.
- The 61% dark chocolate has overpowering notes of bitterness that are balanced out by nutty, floral notes and a roasted aroma.
- The white chocolate has a taste of creamy milk mixed with hints of vanilla.
- The Aalast milk chocolate is known for its milky and creamy flavor, coupled with tangy notes of fruits, roasted cocoa, and sweet notes of caramel.
Callebaut
The Callebaut Couverture chocolates come in three distinct varieties: milk, dark, and white.
- The Belgian milk chocolate by Callebaut is known for its roasted cocoa flavor with hints of caramel.
- The Belgian dark chocolate also features roasted cocoa, but it is paired with an intense bitter taste that is not too overpowering.
- Lastly, Belgian white chocolate can be characterized by its perfectly balanced flavors of toffee, butter, and cream, with a dash of salt to top it all off.
Valrhona
The Valrhona Couverture chocolates also come in three categories: milk, blond, and white.
- The milk chocolate artfully blends the powerful aromas of Ecuadorian and Ghanaian cocoas.
- On the other hand, the blond chocolate has the scent and flavor of toasted shortbread with caramelized milk.
- Finally, white chocolate has lighter, sweet notes in its flavor profile.
To Wrap Up
Each of these chocolate brands offers a formidable selection of high-quality chocolates, making it a matter of personal preference to determine which one is perceived as the best. While Pattissier by Aalast shines with its diverse range and ethical production under Cargill’s ownership, Callebaut impresses with its sustainable strategies through Forever Chocolate, and Valrhona stands out with its unique flavor profiles and certifications.
Ultimately, the choice between these chocolate brands depends on your taste preferences and priorities. Cake Craft UAE offers the best Couverture chocolate chips in the UAE, which are perfect for every baking-related need!
