LONDON – 13 September, 2023 – WNWN Food Labs, the first to bring cocoa-free chocolate to market, today announced it is collaborating with Fortnum & Mason as the iconic department store holds a week of activations, masterclasses, talks and dinners with sustainability at their core. 

Fortnum’s will be hosting a Harvest Week from 22-28 September in its flagship Piccadilly store, bringing together experts from the industry to talk about the joys, challenges and opportunities facing food and farming today. WNWN, its CTO Dr Johnny Drain, and its in-house chocolatier will introduce its cocoa-free choc and how food technology can help build a more resilient and sustainable food system in the face of climate change. 

“Fortnum’s is dedicated to the search for extraordinary food and drink experiences, and

it just so happens that something extraordinary is happening right here in London in WNWN’s workshop,” said Hatty Cary, Fortnum’s Food & Drink Studio Producer. “Throughout our Harvest Week, we’ll be examining the UK food system as it stands today and as it could be tomorrow, so it’s great to be able to include a look at the possible future of chocolate.”

Cocoa prices are up a staggering 66% in the UK and 46% in the U.S., while cocoa suppliers and chocolate purveyors are increasingly being challenged on their environmental and human rights harm. In the EU, a ban on cocoa and chocolate linked to deforestation took effect in June, while in the U.S., a federal lawsuit is calling for a block on imports of cocoa harvested by child labour. Globally, Starbucks is under fire for repeated failure to address cocoa supply chain questions. Cocoa crops are also highly vulnerable to climate change, including rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, which has led experts to predict chocolate shortages in the coming years.

“Fortnum’s is an institution of good taste and to be on their radar at all, let alone link up for this deep dive into food systems and sustainability, has been a great adventure,” said Drain. “For a retailer that’s been around since 1707, they are as forward-thinking and innovative as anyone in the industry, if not more.” 

Harvest Week explores multiple themes in the world of food and beverage. WNWN will hold an event on Thursday 28 September from 3-5 p.m. including a demonstration and tasting. Drain, a world-renowned expert in fermentation and flavour, will also join Fortnum’s Monday events focusing on fermentation along with Douglas McMaster of Silo.

For more information or to register, please visit here. Seats for participants are limited but standing room is reserved for the public. 

WNWN employs a proprietary fermentation process to transform widely available plant-based ingredients like cereals and legumes to create cocoa-free choc that tastes, melts, snaps and bakes just like conventional chocolate. It is vegan, caffeine-free, gluten-free, palm oil-free, and lower in sugar than comparable products. According to an internal lifecycle analysis, WNWN’s dark choc emits90% less greenhouse gases than conventional chocolate, and does not contribute to deforestation, habitat destruction, and unfair labour practices like the conventional chocolate supply chain. 

Follow WNWN

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/wnwnfoodlabs 

Instagram: instagram.com/winwinchoc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winwinchoc 

Twitter: twitter.com/WNWNFoodLabs

Sign up for news about product releases: www.wnwnfoodlabs.com 

About WNWN Food Labs (WNWN)

WNWN, a UK food tech startup addressing critical problems in food supply chains, creates a win-win situation for consumers, workers, producers, and the planet. The London-based food tech company uses fermentation to transform plant-based whole foods and unloved ingredients into delicious, sustainable foods. For more information visit www.wnwnfoodlabs.com.

About Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum & Mason is essential for anyone seeking extraordinary food, joy-giving gifts, unforgettable experiences, and exceptional service. First founded in London in 1707, after Queen Anne permitted her footman William Fortnum to sell discarded candles from St James’s Palace, Fortnum’s has forged a close relationship with the British Royal household ever since. Fortnum & Mason has held several warrants, including one from Her Late Majesty, The Queen and HM The King, when Prince of Wales. 

A London retail institution and pioneer in the hospitality sector, innovation has always been a central pillar at Fortnum’s. From inventing the Scotch Egg and providing supplies to the 1922 Everest expedition to beekeeping in Piccadilly’s rooftop hives and launching the Food & Drink Awards to celebrate people and talent, Fortnum’s has been a trusted disruptor and authority in the food & drink space, at home and internationally, from the very beginning.

Every year, millions of people from around the world visit the Piccadilly flagship to enjoy Fortnum’s famous Afternoon Tea and shop its extraordinary food, gift and fragrance halls. The iconic brand is celebrated for its teas, Scotch eggs, hand-made chocolates, and wicker hampers – each playing a large part in its centuries of history – and remains committed to imagination and discovery today. In April 2023, Fortnum’s opened its Food & Drink Studio as a space dedicated to the search for extraordinary food and drink experiences. Visitors can enjoy unmissable masterclasses and intimate dining experiences hosted by some of the world’s best chefs, watch live demonstrations led by major names in food and drink, and listen to illuminating conversations with makers and creatives who share our passion for all things delicious. 

Proud of its storied past and innovation, Fortnum’s mission remains to make joy for every customer, whether they’re shopping in-store or from around the world at the award-winning www.fortnumandmason.com/. Follow Fortnum’s on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok (@fortnums) 

 

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