Celleste Bio
Celleste Bio
Israeli Startup Celleste Bio Offers a Surprising Solution to the Global Chocolate Crisis
For years, the cost and supply of cocoa remained relatively stable, making chocolate an accessible luxury for consumers around the world. However, a drastic shift is now occurring. Climate change, erratic weather, and unsustainable farming practices have left the chocolate industry grappling with skyrocketing prices and severe shortages of cocoa beans. In 2022 alone, Côte d'Ivoire, the world's largest producer, yielded 2.2 million tons of cocoa, representing a third of the global supply. Yet, the cocoa trade in Côte d'Ivoire and Western Africa remains controversial, with farmers earning just 5% of the retail price of a chocolate bar and making as little as $1.20 a day.
This crisis is driving innovation in food technology, as companies explore alternative ways to produce chocolate without relying on traditional cocoa farming. One of the most promising solutions comes from the Israeli food-tech startup, Celleste Bio, based in the Misgav Industrial Park in Israel. The company is pioneering cellular agriculture techniques to grow cocoa cells in the lab, aiming to produce cocoa butter and cocoa powder that are chemically identical to traditional products, while drastically reducing the need for land and other natural resources.
Celleste Bio's method involves growing cocoa cells in a controlled lab environment, providing them with essential nutrients like sugar, vitamins, and water. The result is a product that is indistinguishable from conventional cocoa butter, but without the environmental and ethical issues tied to cocoa farming. With cocoa butter being the primary ingredient in chocolate, this breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the industry.
What sets Celleste Bio apart is its integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the production process. The company can use AI to customize cocoa products based on the needs of chocolate manufacturers. For example, by adjusting certain parameters, they can modify the melting point of the chocolate, making it more suitable for sale in warmer climates.
From an environmental perspective, the advantages are significant. Traditional cocoa farming requires vast amounts of land, with two tons of cocoa butter needing around 2,000 trees and 10 acres of farmland. In contrast, Celleste Bio’s lab-grown cocoa butter is far more sustainable, requiring fewer resources such as water and energy.
Founded with support from Trendlines Investments, alongside Orna Harel, Avishai Levy, Dr. Dafna Michaeli, and Dr. Hanna Wolfin, Celleste Bio has already attracted the attention of global confectionery leader Mondelez, the company behind brands like Toblerone and Milka. Mondelez has become a strategic partner, helping Celleste Bio to scale its technology and potentially reshape the chocolate industry.
Despite this promise, there are still regulatory hurdles to overcome before Celleste Bio's products hit the market. While consumers may have the opportunity to taste these innovative chocolate products in the near future, the company expects full regulatory approval and widespread availability around 2027.
With the increasing impacts of climate change on traditional cocoa production, alternative methods like those developed by Celleste Bio could become essential to sustaining the global chocolate supply. As the industry faces rising prices and environmental challenges, the future of chocolate may soon rest in the hands of groundbreaking companies like Celleste Bio.