Cultured Cocoa Technologies

Celleste Bio is pioneering a solution to meet chocolate industry demands through cell-cultured cocoa production. The company's proprietary technology combines AgTech, BioTech and AI computational models to grow natural cocoa from minimal beans in controlled conditions year-round. This innovative approach comes as the $100B chocolate industry faces unprecedented challenges from climate change and conventional farming limitations. The recent $4.5M seed round, led by Supply Change Capital with participation from Mondelēz International's SnackFutures Ventures, positions Celleste to scale its sustainable cocoa production.

The technology represents a pivotal advancement in addressing cocoa supply chain vulnerabilities, with cocoa prices reaching four times their historic highs this year. By creating a complementary solution to traditional farming practices, Celleste's approach offers a pathway to stabilize cocoa supplies while reducing environmental impact. The company's cell-cultivation method not only provides year-round production capabilities but also demonstrates how biotechnology can be leveraged to transform agricultural systems facing climate-related challenges.

Image Credit: Celleste Bio