Biotechnology to the rescue of cocoa and coffee: is cell culture a sustainable solution?

By Agroempresario.com

Climate change threatens the supply of cocoa and coffee, creating an imbalance with global demand. In response to this challenge, plant cell culture biotechnology emerges as a sustainable and scalable alternative to ensure their availability in the future.

Startups are exploring the production of coffee and cocoa biomass through cell cultures, attracting investments from giants like Mondelēz International and Puratos. This innovative process takes place in bioreactors that nourish plant cells with sugars, vitamins, and minerals, eliminating dependence on traditional agriculture.

Cell culture at scale: the future of coffee and cocoa

Swiss startup Food Brewer is leading this technological advancement. Its CEO, Christian Schaub, asserts that production is scalable and industrially viable. Currently, they operate 800-liter bioreactors and aim to expand to 50,000-liter facilities, reducing costs with technology from the brewing industry.

Unlike precision fermentation, cell culture allows harvesting the entire biomass without costly purification processes. Additionally, the culture medium is economical, consisting mainly of sugars, minerals, and plant hormones.

Keys to flavor and aroma in cell-Grown coffee and cocoa

The sensory profile of coffee and cocoa is largely defined in post-harvest stages. Food Brewer conducts chemical analyses from the "green" phase to roasting to ensure an appealing final product. Moreover, cell-grown coffee contains less caffeine, catering to the growing demand for options with lower stimulant content.

Regulation and market strategy

Food Brewer seeks GRAS certification from the FDA to enter the U.S. market by 2026. The labeling of these products is still under discussion, as they originate from coffee and cocoa cells but undergo a completely innovative production process.

Cocoa could be the first product launched due to partnerships with major companies, while coffee may follow quickly if the right collaborations are established.

Investments and growth in cell culture

Food Brewer has raised over 5 million Swiss francs in initial investment and is closing a new round with strategic investors. Although some still differentiate between cell culture and cultivated meat, many recognize its potential by eliminating costly extraction and purification processes.

With climate change affecting coffee and cocoa production, this technology does not aim to replace traditional agriculture but rather complement it to balance supply and demand in a growing market.

Pluri acquires majority stake in kokomodo

Israeli company Pluri, specializing in bioreactors for animal and plant cells, has acquired a majority stake in startup Kokomodo, dedicated to cocoa cell culture. With a $6.5 million investment from investor Alejandro Weinstein, Kokomodo will be able to scale its production using Pluri's technology.

Pluri CEO Yaky Yanay highlights that their packed reactor technology is 20 times more efficient than traditional bioreactors, enabling the production of hundreds of kilos of cocoa and coffee in 200-liter facilities. Their goal is to bring these products to market within the next two years.

Biotechnology: key to the future of the food industry

For investors, this technology represents a unique opportunity with high growth potential. As climate change impacts agricultural production, cocoa and coffee cell culture could become a sustainable solution to ensure global food security.

In the near future, the coffee and chocolate we consume may come from biotechnology rather than traditional crops, ensuring their availability and quality in the long term.