Halifax-based RFINE Biomass Solutions is bringing its gluten-free cocoa extender to food manufacturers in Canada and the European Union, with samples available to prospective partners in the United States.

Founded by Dalhousie University Master of Engineering graduate Quinn Cavanagh and business executive Gordon Neal, product development has taken five years.  Now, KAFFIKA, which is made from the coffee grounds left over from cold brew and instant coffee manufacturing, will allow manufacturers to replace up to 60 percent of the cocoa powder in existing bakery, confectionery and beverage recipes. This lowers ingredient costs and exposure to cocoa price swings while maintaining product quality and taste, the company said in a release.

"Cocoa volatility is a real and ongoing pressure for food manufacturers," said Cavanagh, cthe ompany's president.

The last year has seen the company receive various awards. RFINE was a winner of MassChallenge Switzerland’s 2026 Sustainable Food Challenge and a finalist for the Louis Dreyfus Company Impact Prize. It has been named Innovator of the Year by Food & Beverage Atlantic and received the Foodtech Frontier Award, a national Canadian honour.

Earlier this year, RFINE received: $50,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to hire a food scientist to lead product development. It also received $72,000 from Invest NS.

In 2025, RFINE closed a closed an over-subscribed equity funding round worth $1.7 million.