Companies crafting new ways to grow cocoa, and chocolate alternatives, to meet demand

Cocoa cells are shown growing inside a container at the California Cultured lab in West Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

California Cultured, a plant cell culture company, is growing cocoa from cell cultures at a facility in West Sacramento, California, with plans to start selling its products next year. It puts cocoa bean cells in a vat with sugar water so they reproduce quickly and reach maturity in a week rather than the six to eight months a traditional harvest takes, said Alan Perlstein, the company’s chief executive. The process also no longer requires as much water or arduous labor.

The market for chocolate is massive with sales in the United States surpassing $25 billion in 2023, according to the National Confectioners Association. Many entrepreneurs are betting on demand growing faster than the supply of cocoa. Companies are looking at either bolstering the supply with cell-based cocoa or offering alternatives made from products ranging from oats to carob that are roasted and flavored to produce a chocolatey taste for chips or filling.

The innovation is largely driven by demand for chocolate in the U.S. and Europe, Martin said. While three-quarters of the world’s cocoa is grown in West and Central Africa, only 4% is consumed there, she said. Planet A Foods in Planegg, Germany, contends the taste of mass market chocolate is derived largely from the fermentation and roasting in making it, not the cocoa bean itself. The company’s founders tested out ingredients ranging from olives to seaweed and settled on a mix of oats and sunflower seeds as the best tasting chocolate alternative, said Jessica Karch, a company spokesperson. They called it “ChoViva” and it can be subbed into baked goods, she said.

Business Business Latest News, Business Business Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Walz’s Climate Record Is Complicated by Coziness With Fossil Fuel CompaniesThough Tim Walz has been embraced by many in the climate movement, his record on Line 3 haunts him.
Source: truthout - 🏆 69. / 68 Read more »

Boiling Point: Tech companies clam up about AI's climate costsI asked ChatGPT about its own environmental impact. Here's what it said.
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »

Why Companies Should Embrace Disruptive Climate ActivismMost companies’ climate targets are inadequate responses to the climate emergency. And while many companies are falling behind or exaggerating progress, other companies are responding by dialing back on their goals altogether. Employees, peer businesses, and activists are responding in turn.
Source: HarvardBiz - 🏆 310. / 63 Read more »

Why Companies Should Embrace Disruptive Climate ActivismMost companies’ climate targets are inadequate responses to the climate emergency. And while many companies are falling behind or exaggerating progress, other companies are responding by dialing back on their goals altogether. Employees, peer businesses, and activists are responding in turn.
Source: HarvardBiz - 🏆 310. / 63 Read more »