Cocoa is a highly sensitive crop and it’s naturally grown in rainforests, which have become stressed in recent years.
But scientists are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes.
One company in California is growing cocoa from cell cultures, with plans to start selling its products next year. It puts cocoa bean cells in a vat with sugar water so they reproduce quickly and reach maturity in a week rather than the six to eight months a traditional harvest takes.
The market for chocolate is massive with sales in the United States surpassing $25 billion in 2023, according to the National Confectioners Association.
Companies are looking at either bolstering the supply with cell-based cocoa or offering alternatives made from products ranging from oats to carob that are roasted and flavored to produce a chocolatey taste for chips or filling.
The price of cocoa soared earlier this year because of demand and troubles with the crop in West Africa due to plant disease and changes in weather. The region produces the bulk of the world’s cocoa.
