This article is an English translation of a Foovo article, published with permission from Foovo.
Japanese convenience stores are now stocking alternative chocolate made from burdock—a surprising innovation that’s both a response to rising cocoa prices and a bold step toward sustainable sweets.
In August 2024, Ahjikan released a cocoa-free chocolate product called GOVOCE, developed using roasted burdock as a substitute for cocoa.
As global cocoa prices have soared to historic highs, food manufacturers in Japan and abroad are accelerating the development of cocoa alternatives. Among them, GOVOCE stands out as a uniquely Japanese response.
This report explores GOVOCE—how it tastes and how it’s being received at retail stores in Tokyo.
MelBurd: A roasted burdock-based chocolate-flavored ingredient
Source:Ahjikan
At the heart of GOVOCE is MelBurd, a chocolate-flavored sweet ingredient developed by Ahjikan.
By roasting whole burdock using proprietary methods, Ahjikan discovered that the roasted shares aromatic compounds with chocolate. However, initial attempts at replication encountered interference from other stronger burdock aromas.
To overcome this, the team refined the process by gently removing the more overpowering notes during production and micronizing the material to achieve a smooth texture and a bitter chocolate-like flavor—despite containing no cocoa at all.
Interestingly, the development of MelBurd began with “a mistake”. Researcher Ryo Hirao was originally searching for a plant-based alternative to butter. Misunderstanding “cocoa butter” as a dairy product, he created a prototype using coconut oil and cocoa powder.
Recalling someone saying that “burdock tea leaves taste surprisingly good even when eaten,” he substituted the powder with finely ground roasted burdock tea leaves—unintentionally creating a chocolate-like flavor.
After 128 trial iterations, MelBurd was born: a caffeine-free, chocolate-like ingredient rich in inulin and polyphenols derived from burdock.
It now serves as the basis for GOVOCE—a “Japanese-grown burdock chocolate” that offers a solution to both the cocoa shortage and sustainability concerns.
Tasting GOVOCE: How dose it taste?
I ordered GOVOCE in late March 2025, and due to high demand, it took about ten days to arrive.
As someone who runs Foovo and frequently covers companies developing cocoa alternatives, this was actually my first time tasting an actual finished product.
Here’s what GOVOCE looks like:
Photos by Foovo/Ayumi Sato
I was genuinely surprised by the mouthfeel—it melted just like chocolate, with an impressively smooth texture. It didn’t taste like “chocolate made from burdock,” but rather like “chocolate with subtle burdock flavor.” The aroma and aftertaste also retained distinct hints of burdock.
To get broader feedback, I had two family members try it:
-
Adult family member #1 (He dislikes burdock):
“I tried to think of it as dark chocolate, but the burdock flavor was too strong in the mouth and overpowered everything. It was disappointing.”
→ May not appeal to those who dislike burdock. -
Child family member #2 (He likes burdock):
“It tasted like dark chocolate, but it didn’t feel like I was eating real chocolate. I didn’t really like it.”
→ Those used to conventional chocolate might find it strange.
Personally, as a burdock fan, I found it delicious and went through all three packs I ordered in no time.
I believe GOVOCE might even belong in an entirely new category—not quite chocolate, but a novel sweet in its own right. The product lives up to its branding as a “sweet born from burdock,” with a pleasant aftertaste that lingers nicely.
Now available on shelves at Convenience store
Photos by Foovo/Ayumi Sato, Natural Lawson in Tokyo
In addition to Ahjikan’s official online store, GOVOCE has been available at Natural Lawson stores since November 2024.
When I checked a Tokyo location in early May 2025, the product was stocked on the second shelf of the chocolate section, priced at 600 yen (excl. tax) for a 12-piece (52g) pack.
It remains to be seen whether other major convenience chains like Seven-Eleven or FamilyMart will follow suit. But with GOVOCE, the idea of an alternative to chocolate is becoming more tangible. Until now, I had only followed the headlines—but actually tasting a cocoa-free chocolate brought the concept to life.
Photos by Foovo/Ayumi Sato, Natural Lawson in Tokyo
Behind this innovation lies the invisible backdrop of cocoa price spikes and issues like child labor—challenges not always evident in daily shopping. In Europe, cocoa-free chocolate products began hitting store shelves in the fall of 2023, with the trend gaining traction. In Japan, major players like Fuji Oil have also entered the space.
The future of such products may hinge on whether they’re embraced not just as substitutes, but as entirely new kinds of delicious treats. I think GOVOCE suggests that this is possible.
Its cocoa-free formula delivers a convincingly chocolatey mouthfeel that—at least for me—makes it a valid alternative. That said, its distinct burdock aroma might limit appeal for some. Future versions that tone down the burdock flavor could help broaden the market even further.
Want to try GOVOCE for yourself? Head to Natural Lawson and pick one up.
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