In a groundbreaking move towards sustainability, Israeli startup Celleste Bio has pioneered the production of lab-cultivated cocoa, offering a new hope for chocolate production with significantly less environmental impact. The company, based in Misgav, has successfully produced chocolate-grade cocoa butter from just a couple of cocoa beans, eliminating the need for extensive deforestation and other detrimental farming practices associated with traditional cocoa cultivation.
Cocoa farming, primarily concentrated in West Africa, has long been a major contributor to deforestation, with environmental groups highlighting the severe ecological damage caused by clearing tropical forests for new cocoa plantations. Celleste Bio’s innovative approach involves taking cells from cocoa beans and culturing them in bioreactors, where they multiply rapidly. This method not only avoids deforestation but also reduces water usage and the environmental footprint of chocolate production.
Michal Beressi Golomb, CEO of Celleste Bio, emphasizes the naturalness of their product, stating, “We are the first in the world to have been able to produce chocolate-grade cocoa butter.” This process takes only seven days, a stark contrast to the months required for traditional cocoa farming. Furthermore, without any genetic modification, Celleste’s cocoa butter and powder maintain the authentic taste and quality of chocolate.
The startup has caught the attention of giants like Mondelez, the parent company of Cadbury and Milka, which has become a strategic investor, keen on reducing the environmental cost of chocolate production. This innovation comes at a time when the chocolate industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, with competitors focusing on cocoa powder but none yet matching Celleste’s cocoa butter production capabilities.
As Celleste Bio scales up with plans for larger bioreactors, the future looks promising for chocolate lovers who wish to indulge without the guilt of environmental harm
