Israeli start-up Celleste Bio partners with Mondelez for claimed first commercial cell chocolate series
Ambitious Israeli-based science business, Celleste Bio has forged a key partnership with Mondelez international, for a claimed global first series of chocolate bars created by cell technology, reports Neill Barston.
As Confectionery Production has previously covered, the past few years has seen the emergence of several advanced bio-tech firms around the globe competing in this fast-rising sector, including California Cultured, Choviva and Voyage Foods, eager to deliver alternatives to conventional cocoa chains – which have continued to face crisis conditions.
For its part, Celleste Bio has partnered with US headquartered Mondelez, using the snacking group’s real cocoa butter, allied to cell suspension culture technology, which has been hailed in wider industry circles as holding broad product development potential. Until now, commercial availability of chocolate ranges has yet to fully materialise, with California Cultured having struck ingredients agreements with the likes of Puratos, as well as Japan’s major brand, Meiji, for inclusions-based ranges.
In its case, Celleste has contended that its series will be scaled up for market readiness within two years – but with contenders close on its heels, it may not mean that it is in fact first to market on that basis.
As the business has claimed, one of its core propositions is in delivering science-led production that does not add to deforestation – using a ‘three pronged model’ that blends Bioteh, agtech and AI to produce what it claims is 100% natural cocoa ingredients at industry scale.
It is the latter factor, using AI that it asserts is ‘poised to change the dynamic of the chocolate market’ in using algorithms to customise cocoa to individual specifications. This could include altering parameters such as taste profiles and melting points, varying manufacturing processes to suit specific chocolate product ranges.
Hanne Volpin, the company’s chief technical and scientific officer believed that cell-based production methods could be used to augment traditional cocoa supplies, rather than replace them, amid turbulent times for an industry facing threat from climate change, crop disease, and instability for farmers, who have faced severe pay cuts in the wake of extreme price volatility.
Project funding
To date, Celleste Bio has raised $5.6 million, including Mondelēz International as a strategic and design partner, along with Supply Change Capital, Trendlines, Barrel Ventures and non-dilutive grants.
Michal Beressi Golomb, CEO, Celleste Bio, asserted that the business had strong potential for the global market.
She said: “Celleste launched in 2022 with the mission to secure a sustainable future for the global chocolate industry amidst increasing supply chain pressures of climate change, disease, traceability and geopolitical instability.
“In three years we’ve made unprecedented progress to meet this formidable scientific challenge. We’ve validated our ingredients as drop-in replacements, created an operational R&D pilot facility to scale up our volumes and now proven our cocoa butter performs identically to conventional cocoa, clearing the next phase to commercial scale.
Furthermore, Hanne Volpin, PhD, Chief Technical and Scientific Officer for Celleste Bio welcomed the company’s progress to date in product development, as it moves towards commercial roll-out.
“Building a resilient supply chain means being able to produce at commercial volumes while offsetting disruptions caused by climate change, deforestation and resource scarcity. We are on track to produce 1 ton of cocoa butter annually in a 1000 liter bioreactor from a single bean – which would otherwise require about a hectare of cocoa trees.
“To that end, we’ve curated a very robust bank of multiple cocoa bean varietals we can use to grow, test and scale material without ever having to cut down a single tree in the rainforest,” explained its scientific lead, of the sector that has attracted major global headlines.
