Mondelēz advances cell-cultured cocoa butter with scalable chocolate prototypes

Mondelēz International has created what is reportedly the world’s first milk chocolate bars made with cultivated cocoa butter. The cocoa butter was produced by Mondelēz’s strategic partner, Celleste Bio, using its cell suspension culture technology. 

Mondelēz said the roughly ten chocolate bars produced met the integrity and consumption standards for its products, while Celleste suggested these prototypes solidify its capabilities to create a scalable, commercial supply of cell-cultured cocoa butter.

Investment in cultivated cocoa is on the rise, as ingredient and confectionery manufacturers diversify their supply options amid volatile cocoa prices. Mondelēz’s full-year earnings nearly halved, as record cocoa costs overshadowed its revenue growth.

Cargill and Puratos are among the companies to expand into cell-based chocolate. Meanwhile, innovation in cocoa-free and conventional chocolate remains relevant, as demonstrated by Mondelēz’s new partnership with Aston University in the UK to advance chocolate flavor.Celleste Bio demonstrates scalable, bio-identical cocoa butter, positioning cultivated chocolate as a solution to rising costs and supply volatility (Image credit: Celleste).

Celleste’s cell-cultured ingredients

The chocolate bar prototypes show that Celleste’s cell-cultured ingredients are bio-identical to conventionally grown cocoa, meaning they deliver the same texture, melt profile, and sensory experience as conventional chocolate, the company says.

The prototypes also set the stage for scaling production to market-ready quantities within the next two years, according to the cocoa tech company.

“Celleste launched in 2022 with the mission to secure a sustainable future for the global chocolate industry amid the increasing supply chain pressures of climate change, disease, traceability, and geopolitical instability,” says Michal Beressi Golomb, Celleste’s CEO.

“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.”Celleste Bio leverages AI-driven modeling to tailor cocoa butter properties, enabling customized chocolate performance and accelerating innovation at scale (Image credit: Celleste).

AI computational modeling and sustainability

Celleste’s process is designed to leverage AI computational modeling to customize cocoa butter to customer specifications, such as higher melting points and taste experiences, enabling manufacturers to uplevel their innovation and competitive advantage.

The company’s chief technical and scientific officer, Dr. Hanne Volpin, underscores the environmental upside of using cell-cultured technology to supplement traditional growing methods.

“Building a resilient supply chain means being able to produce at commercial volumes, while offsetting disruptions caused by climate change, deforestation, and resource scarcity,” she says. “We are on track to produce one ton of cocoa butter annually in a 1,000-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.”

Celleste has raised US$5.6 million to date, including support from Mondelēz as a strategic and design partner, along with Supply Change Capital, Trendlines, Barrel Ventures, and non-dilutive grants.

Mondelēz and Celleste’s chocolate bar prototypes could signal a shift toward scalable, sustainable cocoa alternatives, positioning cultivated cocoa butter as a viable solution to cocoa supply volatility and a catalyst for chocolate innovation.