Agronomics Limited has announced that its portfolio company, California Cultured Inc., has entered into a partnership agreement with Meiji Co., Ltd, Japan's largest chocolate manufacturer. The 10-year-long arrangement will involve the supply and integration of California Cultured's cell-cultured flavanol cocoa powder into various products tailored for the US and Japanese markets, including chocolate, truffles, and wellness-enhancing chocolate. This marks the first time cell-cultured cocoa will enter any market worldwide.
The partnership addresses significant issues in the global chocolate industry, such as ethical and secure supply chains, as unpredictable weather patterns have disrupted cacao cultivation, causing volatility in supply and price. Cell culturing technology allows the production of cocoa to be decoupled from tropical plantations, addressing key industry issues including uncertain weather conditions, deforestation concerns, and labor exploitation.
California Cultured CEO, Alan Perlstein, emphasized the importance of building a resilient, superior future for chocolate, stating that the partnership is the first step in achieving this. With scalable technology, the company aims to excel in the field of plant-based cellular agriculture, pioneering the creation and cultivation of cells to redefine how innovative, sustainable products are grown and produced.
Agronomics Executive Chairman, Jim Mellon, highlighted the significance of the partnership in the transition towards developing sustainable food production systems. He noted that it is a great example of how biomanufacturing provides a viable solution to environmental and ethical issues associated with industrial agricultural production while serving the needs of large multinational food companies.
The full announcement can be accessed at the following link: https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/california-cultured-cell-based-lab-grown-chocolate-meiji/