With demand for cocoa and coffee expected to dramatically exceed supply as climate change impacts key growing regions, a flurry of solutions has emerged from bean-free alternatives from upcycled date seeds to more robust coffee plants .
The next wave of startups is growing “real” coffee and cocoa biomass from plant cell culture, an approach that has started to attract the attention of strategic investors from Mondelēz International (which has invested in Celleste Bio and included Kokomodo in its CoLab Tech accelerator cohort ) to Puratos (which has invested in California Cultured via its corporate venture arm Sparkalis).
Rather than using sunlight, water, and soil to nurture fully-grown plants, firms using plant cell culture grow plant cells indoors in bioreactors fed on sugars, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
The approach is already used on a commercial scale to produce a handful of drugs, notably breast cancer drug Taxol. And while commodities producing such as coffee and cocoa is a very different ballgame, the unit economics still make sense, insists Christian Schaub, CEO at Zurich-based plant cell culture startup Food Brewer .
“We have collaborations with global coffee, chocolate, and food companies who have approached us because they need to secure these resources for the future at scale, and we are very confident that this is scalable.”
Scaling up plant cell culture
According to Food Brewer CFO Mathilde Dupin: “Our initial focus is on being a b2b ingredients supplier. We’re already at pilot scale [800-liter bioreactor producing kilos of product] and our next goal is to get to demo-scale either by retrofitting a brewing facility or partnering with clients with production capabilities that can be adapted.
“We see the first large-scale plants as, say, 50,000 liters, but down the road it could go bigger. Plant cell culture has already been proven commercially at 75,000-liter scale.”
Food Brewer is currently working with beverage production equipment giant Krones on adapting equipment from the brewing industry rather than the biopharma industry in order to keep costs down, adds Schaub.
“You need a system that you can run for long periods of time without a lot of maintenance, that’s easy to clean, and involves a lower capex investment, which is why we started looking into retrofitting non sterile steel systems from other industries.”
One obvious advantage of plant cell culture versus precision fermentation is that firms are harvesting the whole biomass , rather than engaging in costly downstream processing to extract and purify ingredients, notes Schaub. “We don’t have to get rid of the host [microorganism], we’re basically just growing cells, collecting the biomass and drying it.”
And unlike cell culture media for cultivated meat , he says, “We only pay a few cents per liter [for the media, which is primarily composed of sugars plus minerals, vitamins, and plant growth hormones].”
The focus is on optimizing the cell lines and cell culture media to ensure the most cost-efficient process, an approach aided by Food Brewer’s partnership with Fruitful Ai , which has developed an automated cell selection and media screening platform, adds Schaub.
“We’ve filed a patent application covering our unique method to establish stable cell lines [that can grow in liquid suspension in a bioreactor as opposed to on a petri dish] very quickly.”
The approach also means that Food Brewer can also work with rare coffee or cocoa varieties with particular characteristics that may not be suitable for mass cultivation as fully grown plants but can flourish in plant cell culture, he notes.
Post-harvest parameters
While Food Brewer is spending a lot of time and energy on optimizing cell lines, media, and the conditions inside the bioreactor, much of the work that contributes to the flavor and aroma of its coffee and coconut is done post-harvest during the fermentation and roasting steps.
“We conduct [chemical] analyzes of the coffee at the ‘green’ stage (the harvested biomass), after roasting, and at the brewed stage and fine-tune the profile to have something that is really delicious.”
The caffeine content of coffee from plant cell culture tends to be lower than in coffee from beans, in part because the plant cells are not exposed to the same stressors as fully-grown plants.
The Rise of Plant Cell Culture in Creating Coffee and Cocoa Products
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in plant cell culture technology as a sustainable and innovative way to produce food and beverages. One company leading the way in this space is Food Brewer, a Swiss startup that is revolutionizing the coffee and cocoa industry with its plant cell culture technology.
The Shift Towards Plant Cell Culture
Food Brewer is tapping into the demand for sustainable and ethically sourced coffee and cocoa products. By using plant cell culture technology, the company is able to produce high-quality coffee and cocoa without the need for traditional farming methods. This not only reduces the environmental impact of agriculture but also ensures a more consistent and controlled supply chain.
But this can be a plus at a time when many consumers are looking for the experience of real coffee, without so much caffeine.
Regulatory, Labeling, and Go-to-Market Strategy
Food Brewer is initially targeting the US market and aims to file GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) notifications with the FDA this year with a view to market entry in late 2026. On labeling, the company is in discussions with the FDA and advisors to determine the best way to communicate their innovative process to consumers.
While cocoa may be the first product to hit the market, Food Brewer is also exploring collaborations with major coffee players, potentially allowing them to enter the market with a coffee product first.
The Funding Environment
Food Brewer has raised over CHF5 million in pre-seed equity and is closing a new round from financial and strategic investors. Some investors may need education on plant cell culture technology, but they recognize the benefits of biomass production compared to traditional methods.
Investors see the potential of plant cell culture technology to address the challenges of climate change and ensure a stable supply of coffee and cocoa products.
Pluri Acquires Controlling Stake in Kokomodo
Pluri, a company specializing in plant cell culture technology, has acquired a controlling stake in cocoa plant cell culture startup Kokomodo. This partnership will enable Kokomodo to scale up its production and benefit from Pluri’s expertise in plant cell culture technology.
With the use of bioreactors, Pluri plans to rapidly scale up production of cocoa and coffee products, meeting the demand for sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients in the food industry.
Investors are excited about the potential of plant cell culture technology to revolutionize the food and beverage industry, offering a more sustainable and controlled supply chain for coffee and cocoa products.
As the demand for real coffee and cocoa products continues to grow, plant cell culture technology offers a promising solution to meet consumer preferences for sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients.
The Importance of Mental Health in Today’s Society
In today’s fast-paced and stressful world, mental health has become an increasingly important topic of discussion. With rising rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders, it is crucial that we prioritize our mental well-being just as much as our physical health.
One of the main reasons why mental health is so important is because it affects every aspect of our lives. Our mental well-being impacts our relationships, our work performance, and our overall quality of life. When we neglect our mental health, we are more likely to experience issues such as burnout, fatigue, and poor decision-making.
Furthermore, mental health disorders can have serious consequences if left untreated. They can lead to increased risk of substance abuse, self-harm, and even suicide. By taking care of our mental health and seeking help when needed, we can prevent these negative outcomes and lead happier, more fulfilling lives.
It is also important to recognize that mental health is just as valid as physical health. Just as we would seek medical treatment for a physical ailment, we should also seek help for mental health issues. Therapy, medication, and other forms of treatment can be highly effective in managing and improving mental health conditions.
In today’s society, there is still a stigma surrounding mental health. Many people feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help for their mental health issues. However, it is important to remember that mental health is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a natural part of being human, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Overall, it is crucial that we prioritize our mental health in today’s society. By taking care of our mental well-being, we can lead healthier, happier lives and contribute positively to our communities. Let’s continue to break the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage open conversations about this important topic.
