HS 18020000

Cocoa Nibs

Cocoa Nibs are the roasted and cracked cotyledon pieces of the cocoa bean, separated from the outer shell during winnowing.

They are a crunchy, intensely bitter, fully natural ingredient with about 50 percent cocoa butter, 12 to 15 percent protein, and the full polyphenol load of the original bean. The nib is the direct upstream form of cocoa mass.

We source bulk Cocoa Nibs from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturers are in Jiangsu. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.

Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.

or call +86-21-6858 0751

Packaging: 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner

ISO 9001
HACCP
Halal
Kosher

Specifications

Grades / Types Available: Food Grade, Feed Grade

Item	Specification
Appearance	Dark brown crushed pieces
Moisture	≤ 3.0%
Fat Content	48-55%
Shell Content	≤ 1.75%
Particle Size	2-8 mm
Total Plate Count	≤ 10,000 cfu/g
Salmonella	Negative
Purity (Food Grade)	99.5%
Moisture/Loss on Drying	< 5%
pH	5.0 - 6.5
Particle Size/Mesh	> 90% through 20 mesh
Ash	< 2%
Heavy Metals	< 0.5 ppm
Lead	< 0.1 ppm
Arsenic	< 0.1 ppm
Yeast & Mold	< 100 cfu/g

Common Markets Grades

Cocoa nibs are graded by roast level, shell content, and origin.

Light-roast nibs (110 to 120 degrees Celsius) hold the fruit and acid notes of the source bean and are favored for craft chocolate, cold beverages, and raw-positioning products.

Medium-roast nibs (125 to 135 degrees Celsius) balance acidity and Maillard depth, giving the classic chocolate aroma used in bakery inclusions and dark chocolate work.

Dark-roast nibs (135 to 145 degrees Celsius) push the bitter and toasted notes forward and pair with strong roast flavours such as espresso and roasted nuts.

Shell content in trade nibs is held below 1.75 percent under FDA and EU standards, with premium grades pushing below 1 percent for cleaner mouthfeel.

Nib size is typically 2 to 8 millimeters. Bakery-inclusion grades are sieved to 3 to 5 millimeters for even visual distribution in cookies, granola, and chocolate bars.

Applications

Bean-to-bar and craft chocolate manufacture as the direct input to cocoa mass
Bakery inclusions in cookies, brownies, biscotti, and breakfast bars for crunch and cocoa hit
Granola, muesli, and trail-mix blends as a low-sugar chocolate-flavoured element
Topping for ice cream, yogurt, smoothie bowls, and pastries
Specialty coffee blends and cold-brew steeping for chocolate undertones
Craft beer brewing, especially in stouts and porters, for cocoa aroma
Premium chocolate bars showcasing visible nib pieces for textural contrast
Energy bars, protein bars, and keto-positioned snacks built around low-sugar cocoa flavour
Savory applications including mole sauces, rubs for game meat, and chocolate-finished vinegars
Cocoa nib extracts for flavour houses producing chocolate distillates and tinctures

Brands Using Cocoa Nibs

Widely-distributed consumer products that list Cocoa Nibs on the ingredient label.

Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.

China Manufacturers of Cocoa Nibs

Top Cocoa Nibs manufacturers in China.

Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.

How We Help Source Cocoa Nibs

Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Cocoa Nibs out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Cocoa Nibs together with other ingredients such as Instant Coffee, Instant Tea and Tea Concentrate into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.

Regulatory Status

Cocoa nibs are recognised as a cocoa product in all major regulatory frameworks.

The EU defines them within Directive 2000/36/EC as the product obtained from cleaned, shelled cocoa beans which have been roasted.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration covers nibs implicitly under the cocoa product standards of identity at 21 CFR 163, with the shell content limit set at 1.75 percent measured by alkalinity of the ash.

Codex standard CXS 141-1983 also applies. Pesticide MRLs follow EU Regulation 396/2005 and equivalent national rules.

The EU Deforestation Regulation places traceability requirements on nibs that enter the EU market from 2025 onward. Organic, Halal, Kosher, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance certifications are routinely available, and the product is naturally vegan and gluten free.

Manufacturing Process

Cocoa Nibs Manufacturing Process

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Production starts with cleaned, sorted, and dried cocoa beans of known origin and fermentation grade.

Beans pass through a debacterizer that uses saturated steam to reduce surface microbial load without cooking the bean. They then enter the roaster, which can be a batch drum, continuous belt, or fluid-bed unit.

Roasting profiles run 110 to 145 degrees Celsius for 20 to 45 minutes, tuned to the bean origin and the target flavour outcome. Roast moisture loss brings the bean down to about 2 percent water and triggers shell shrinkage that aids separation.

The cooled beans pass through a cracker that breaks them into 2 to 10 millimeter fragments. A winnower then uses calibrated air flow to lift away the lighter shell while the heavier nib falls onto a collection belt.

Cleaned nibs are sieved to size grade, optionally further roasted or alkalized, and packed into food-grade bags of 10 to 25 kilograms. Some processors also offer nibs that are pre-coated in dark chocolate, salted, or dusted with sweetener for direct retail use.