Coffee-less coffee and chocolates without cocoa ― survival and politics of North Korea subsitute economy

North Korea’s latest answer to chocolate does not start with cocoa.

Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper in Japan, reported last month that researchers at Ryanggang University of Industry had developed chocolate made with “purple beans” instead of cocoa powder.

The report said the technology had been registered as a North Korean patent and that the product had been put into production at a food factory in Ryanggang Province.

While the report touted the bean-based chocolate as an achievement, ...