31 Jul 2025 Barry Callebaut looking to cell-based cocoa tech
As climate disruptions and soaring cocoa prices shake up the global chocolate market, Barry Callebaut is turning to science for answers.…
The world’s largest chocolate manufacturer has partnered with Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) to explore the possibilities of cell-cultured cocoa — a move that could help futureproof its supply and diversify its product portfolio.
The Swiss-based chocolate giant is no stranger to innovation, but this latest move into cellular agriculture signals a major step toward reshaping how cocoa might be produced in the years ahead.
Faced with mounting climate challenges, including volatile weather, crop diseases, and unsustainable farming practices in top-producing regions like Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the company is proactively investing in longer-term alternatives.
Barry Callebaut has reported a 6% dip in volume sales over the past nine months, largely due to cocoa’s tightening supply and unprecedented price spikes. With global stockpiles hitting decade lows, and forecasts warning that up to a third of cocoa trees could disappear by 2050, the industry is under serious pressure to rethink its reliance on traditional supply chains.
Enter cell-based cocoa
By cultivating cocoa cells in bioreactors — rather than growing and harvesting beans in the field — chocolate makers can sidestep many of the environmental uncertainties that plague the industry. The approach dramatically reduces the need for land, water, and energy, while eliminating much of the emissions tied to traditional cocoa production.
It also opens doors to new product innovation, potentially offering enhanced flavours and nutritional benefits.
“This partnership is part of our commitment to shaping the future of chocolate through cutting-edge innovation,” said Dries Roekaerts, Barry Callebaut’s president of customer experience. “It’s not about replacing cocoa farming, but about building a more resilient, diversified supply model.”
The collaboration brings together Barry Callebaut’s chocolate expertise and the scientific leadership of ZHAW professors Tilo Hühn and Regine Eibl-Schindler, both seasoned pioneers in cell culture technology.
While still in early development, the project aims to unlock new methods of producing chocolate that are both scalable and sustainable — without losing the indulgent experience consumers expect.
Importantly, Barry Callebaut stresses that conventional cocoa isn’t going anywhere. Rather, the company sees cell-cultured cocoa as a complement to its existing supply, giving it more flexibility in responding to shifting global conditions and consumer preferences.
The burgeoning world of alt cocoa
Cell-based chocolate isn’t just an academic concept anymore. Fellow chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli and food industry investor Sparkalis (the VC arm of Puratos) are also exploring similar technology, while startups such as California Cultured (US), Celleste Bio and Kokomodo (Israel), and Food Brewer (Switzerland) are developing their own lab-grown cocoa solutions.
Others, meanwhile, are using fermentation to turn lower-carbon ingredients and food industry byproducts into cocoa-free chocolates, such as Planet A Foods, Compound Foods, Voyage Foods, Prefer, Foreverland, Nukoko, and Endless Food Co.
Barry Callebaut has already dipped its toe into the alt-cocoa waters. In Europe, it’s offering chocolate-like products made from precision-fermented sunflower seeds. As CEO Peter Feld noted earlier this year, “These non-cocoa offerings give our customers the full range of chocolate experiences — without the cocoa.”
Source: GreenQueen.com
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