Barry Callebaut, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chocolate and cocoa ingredients, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) to explore the potential of cocoa cell culture technology.
Cocoa cell culture is an emerging field that enables the cultivation of cocoa cells in a controlled environment. While still in the early stages of development, this technology presents promising opportunities to:
- Develop new chocolate products with unique flavor profiles or enhanced health benefits.
- Provide an alternative cocoa source to diversify our cocoa portfolio.
- Srengthen supply chain resilience while supporting traditional cocoa farming communities.
“This partnership reflects our proactive approach to building innovation capabilities that will shape the future of chocolate,” says Dries Roekaerts, president of customer experience at Barry Callebaut. “We are not replacing cocoa from farms, but rather preparing for a future where we can offer consumers additional choices and ensure long-term supply security.”
The company also notes This collaboration is part of Barry Callebaut’s long-term commitment to innovation and sustainability in the chocolate industry.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.