Snortable chocolate: game-changer or imminent threat to society?

Chocolate is one of the world’s favourite indulgences. However, Legal Lean's new Coco Loko infused raw cacao snuff is likely to go down as one of the most controversial packaged goods launch since the debut of Palcohol powdered alcohol in 2014.

Coko Loko is attempting to introduce snortable chocolate to the mass-market. Looking like a powdered hot cocoa mix, the new product is claimed to provide a burst of energy that lasts from 30 minutes to an hour. It is comprised of a 'special energy blend' of energy drink-type ingredients such as B vitamins, ginkgo biloba, guarana, taurine, and the amino acid L-arginine.

Coco Loko is sold as a dietary supplement, a classification that has typically been given wide regulatory berth in the US. The product is priced more similarly to a dietary supplement than a food product, with a 1.25oz container (that delivers 10 servings) selling for approximately $20. It claims to provide a drug-free rush of euphoric energy, elevated mood, and a feeling described as similar to a ‘runner’s high'. Early distribution for Coco Loko has focused on gas stations, tobacco stores, and other small, specialty retailers in the US.

Coco Loko’s success is likely to depend on how well it navigates regulation in the US.

Founder of Legal Lean Nick Anderson said: “I can see it taking off, as long as it doesn’t get too controversial”.

US Senator Charles Schumer has asked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the legality of Coco Loko and similar products. Schumer wants the agency to investigate the use of caffeine in inhalable food products, specifically. He said: “This suspect product has no clear health value”.

However, customers place high value on energy-enhancement and the need for extra energy throughout the day is nearly universal. According to a Q1 2015 GlobalData consumer survey, 53.8% of consumers globally (and 56% of all Americans) say they often feel like they need an energy boost in the day. This percentage rises to 71.5% for Americans aged 25-34. Such high interest levels has set the stage for innovation in energy-enhancement delivery systems, regardless of legal challenges.

Consumers have been conditioned to be more open-minded toward substances that can be snorted or inhaled. For example, younger consumers have proven to be highly interested in e-cigarettes. According to a Q1 2017 GlobalData survey, 80.1% of US consumers between the ages of 25-34 have tried e-cigarettes, which is more than four times the percentage of 55-64 year olds at 16.9%. Over time, similar vapour delivery systems have crossed over into categories such as dietary supplements through brands inclusing VitaCig, which delivers vitamins A, B, C, and E in a vapour form.

When asked about regulating snortable chocolate about a year ago, neither the FDA nor the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) indicated they had the power or authority to regulate snortable chocolate. Schumer seems to recognise this, homing in on the presence of caffeine, a stimulant that occurs naturally in cacao and chocolate.

In the absence of clear rules and regulations, snortable chocolate may experience the intimidation game that recently put Palcohol powdered alcohol on the outside looking in. After Palcohol was announced in 2014 (having received approval for sale by the US Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau), US states rushed to ban the powder on the grounds that it might spur underage drinking. By early 2016, 31 US states had created laws to ban powdered alcohol.

The biggest danger of inhaling chocolate in public may an assumption that cocaine or some other illicit drug is involved. There is also the issue of the body’s response to inhaled chocolate, as it is not clear if inhaling a food product such as cacao or cocoa causes any immediate health risks given the lack of testing of the concept. At the very least, the introduction of a food product into the nasal passages may increase the potential for infection or blockage. One nasty sinus infection may do more to put the damper on this trend than anything coming out of the mouth of an over-caffeinated politician.

Related links:

https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/cs1731ct–flavor-appeal-in-chocolate-2017-insights-from-2017-q1-global-consumer-survey-and-latest-innovation-trends-in-chocolate/