Oakland, Calif. – Voyage Foods has moved from its 2021 founding into a phase of expanded manufacturing for ingredients that avoid cocoa, nuts and coffee beans. The company now supplies commercial customers through a business-to-business model after earlier efforts in direct retail. Its approach centers on creating alternatives that address supply volatility in traditional crops while meeting demand for allergen-friendly options.
Shift to Industrial Scale
Voyage Foods has raised more than $100 million and opened a 284,000-square-foot facility in Ohio to produce its ingredients at volume. Co-founder and chief executive officer Adam Maxwell described the current priority as moving from startup operations to consistent, high-quality manufacturing. The company partners with Cargill for global distribution of its cocoa- and nut-free products. ([1])
Maxwell noted that the firm stopped supplying branded retail items to focus resources on commercial clients, including consumer packaged goods companies and large foodservice operators. Some public school districts continue to receive allergen-free spreads. This change allows greater emphasis on industrial ingredient supply rather than building consumer brands alongside production assets.
Ingredients Designed for Supply Resilience
The product line includes cocoa-free chocolate made with upcycled grape seeds, sold under the NextCoa name in mild and dark mild varieties. Bean-free coffee uses roasted chickpeas, rice hulls, caffeine from green tea and natural flavors. Nut-free spreads rely on sunflower seeds, grape seeds, chickpeas and rice protein. These formulations aim to bypass crops that face price swings and climate-related pressures.
Customers have shown interest in hybrid uses, blending the cocoa-free ingredient with traditional chocolate compounds for coatings and other applications. Labeling follows federal rules, with terms such as “confectionery alternative” or “chocolate-flavored” required on finished products. Maxwell indicated that many existing compound coatings already use similar non-cocoa ingredients, reducing consumer confusion in most categories.
Production Milestones and Market Reach
Bean-free coffee production has reached commercial scale, with both caffeinated and caffeine-free versions available. More than half of upcoming customer launches involve blends of traditional coffee and the Voyage alternative. The company targets costs roughly 50 percent below robusta coffee prices and plans further announcements with major partners in the coffee supply chain.
Current output stands in the tens of thousands of metric tons, though the Ohio plant has not yet reached full capacity since production began less than a year ago. Maxwell expressed confidence that demand will continue to grow, supported by interest from high-profile brands expected to launch products by the end of this year and into 2027.
Industry Context and Next Steps
Maxwell said early concerns about pushback from farmers and agricultural groups have not materialized. The company positions its ingredients as market expanders rather than direct replacements for cocoa, coffee or nuts. This framing has helped maintain positive relations with traditional agricultural stakeholders.
With the manufacturing base now in place, Voyage Foods continues to build its pipeline of commercial applications. The focus remains on delivering consistent quality at scale while supporting broader goals of a more resilient food supply chain.
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