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Introducing Callebaut FlavourCode 01

Posted: 03 Nov 2026

A pack of Callebaut's new Zestina Flavourcode 01 70% dark chocolate on a dark background with callets scattered next to it.

A Taste of the Tropics, Straight from the Bean

Callebaut have taken chocolate back to where its flavour starts: fermentation. Flavourcode 01 is the first chocolate made with their new Flavourcode™ fermentation method, and it’s a 70% dark couverture bursting with passion fruit, pineapple, mango and ripe banana. Keep reading to find out how it’s made, what it tastes like and how to use it in your own creations…

by Lyndsey Hall

03 November 2026

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Discover Callebaut Zestina Flavourcode 01

What Is Flavourcode 01?

FlavourCode 01 is a 70% dark couverture from Callebaut, and the first expression of a brand new range of chocolates. It comes as Callets in 1kg and 2.5kg bags, with 43% fat and a thin fluidity, so it’s ready to weigh, melt and temper straight from the bag.

It belongs to Callebaut’s Zestina Experience, which they describe as “a burst of tropical, yellow fruits”.

How Does Flavourcode™ Fermentation Work?

Every chocolate starts life as a cocoa fruit. Once the pod is opened, the beans ferment in their pulp, and that’s where much of chocolate’s flavour begins. Traditional fermentation reveals some of the bean’s character, but Callebaut found that a lot of its flavour potential stayed hidden.

After years of research, they now ferment the beans with the fruit’s natural pulp in sealed vessels. Selected yeasts, already present in the cocoa’s natural environment, are carefully guided to unlock flavours that were previously out of reach, with more depth and intensity. In Callebaut’s words, “This is not a new chocolate recipe. It’s a new way to make chocolate.”

And there’s no fruit flavouring added. All of that fruitiness comes from inside the cocoa bean.

What Does Flavourcode 01 Taste Like?

It opens with intense notes of tropical fruit: passion fruit, pineapple, mango and ripe banana. These lead into layers of dried fruit and a bittersweet cocoa finish, with pineapple, mango, banana and roasted cocoa coming through most clearly.

It’s less sweet too, so those fruit and cocoa notes stay clearly present in your finished bonbons, ganache and desserts.

How to Use Flavourcode 01

Callebaut suggest three ways to work with it, and here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Amplify it: bring out the brighter notes with passion fruit, mango, coconut or lime
  • Contrast it: pair it with something toasty, like coffee or hazelnut praliné, to keep the chocolate distinctive
  • Let it lead: use it in a recipe you already know, like a classic ganache or chocolate tart, and let the chocolate take it somewhere new

Its thin fluidity makes it a great fit for bonbons, bars and tablets, ice cream and plated desserts. And because the taste is consistent from batch to batch, a creation you love can become a signature you make again and again, with all the workability you expect from Callebaut.

Flavourcode 01 at a Glance

  • 70% minimum cocoa solids and 43% fat
  • Thin, four-drop fluidity
  • Dark Callets in 1kg and 2.5kg bags
  • Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, certified Halal and Kosher Dairy
  • 24 month shelf life
Discover Callebaut Zestina Flavourcode 01

If you’d like to find out more about how Callebaut are putting flavour first, take a look at our blog on their new Low Roasting™ process.

We can’t wait to see what you create with Flavourcode 01, so tag us in your social media posts and follow us for more inspiration, trend alerts, behind-the-scenes moments and how-to videos!