hacco partners with award‑winning French chef Jean‑Thomas Schneider to develop koji‑based premium soft serve
Executive summary: hacco announced a collaboration with Chef Jean‑Thomas Schneider to develop a premium soft serve product using koji (fermented rice) as a key ingredient. The collaboration introduces a novel fermented ingredient to the premium soft‑serve market, potentially differentiating hacco’s offering and appealing to consumers seeking healthier, umami‑rich desserts.
Who is involved: hacco (Brooklyn‑based soft‑serve company) and Chef Jean‑Thomas Schneider (MOF, Pastry World Champion, Ice Cream World Champion, France).
Likely next: Product development and testing will continue through Q4 2026, with a limited‑edition launch planned for early 2027 pending any necessary food‑safety approvals.
On July 31 2026, hacco announced a collaboration with Jean‑Thomas Schneider, the only chef to hold the titles of Meilleur Ouvrier de France, Pastry World Champion and Ice Cream World Champion, to explore using fermented rice (koji) as a base for premium soft serve. The partnership aims to combine Schneider’s pastry expertise with hacco’s soft‑serve technology to create a novel dessert that leverages koji’s umami and potential health‑benefits. While koji is a traditional fermentation agent widely used in Asian cuisine, its application in frozen dairy‑free desserts remains rare in the Western market. The move reflects a broader trend of ingredient innovation in the premium dessert segment, though commercial viability will depend on consumer acceptance and any required regulatory clearances.
Timeline
- — hacco Announces Collaboration with the World's Only Meilleur Ouvrier de France, Pastry World Champion, and Ice Cream World Champion Chef Jean-Thomas Schneider (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- hacco will unveil a prototype koji‑based soft serve at a tasting event in Brooklyn on September 15 2026.
- The company plans to file a GRAS notice with the U.S. FDA for koji‑derived dessert ingredients by December 2026.
- A limited‑edition Koji Soft Serve flavor is slated for release in hacco’s flagship stores in Q1 2027.
- Schneider will host a masterclass on fermented dessert techniques at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon on October 10 2026.
Sectors affected
- Premium soft‑serve manufacturing
- Fermented ingredient supply (koji producers)
- Artisan dessert retail
Regulatory implications
- U.S. FDA may require a GRAS notification for koji used in frozen desserts; hacco intends to submit by December 2026.
- If marketed in the EU, the product may need assessment under the Novel Food Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283) before sale.
- Labeling must declare koji as a fermented rice ingredient per FDC Act requirements.
Historical parallels
- The rise of Greek yogurt in the U.S. market (2005‑2010) demonstrated how a traditional fermented dairy product can capture premium dessert share.
- Craft brewers’ adoption of koji for umami‑rich beers began around 2015, showing cross‑over of Asian fermentation techniques to Western beverages.
- Oat‑milk based ice creams entered the mainstream market after 2018, illustrating consumer acceptance of novel base ingredients in frozen desserts.