Cultivated cacao producer Kokomodo has announced a partnership with the chocolate company Chocolats Halba, which is a division of Switzerland’s largest retailer and wholesaler, Coop.
The collaboration will explore the integration of Kokomodo’s cacao into sustainable confectionery products, evaluating the functionality, sensory performance, and scalability of the ingredient in industrial settings. The partnership is facilitated by Kickstart Innovation, a platform that accelerates the market adoption of breakthrough technologies through startup-corporate collaborations.
The news comes after biotechnology firm Pluri acquired a majority stake in Kokomodo in January of this year. Pluri recently announced that Kokomodo had signed strategic agreements with a European food innovation firm that specializes in confectionery production and a US-based multinational company that provides food, agriculture, financial, and industrial products and services.
“Sustainable, future-proof ingredient”
Kokomodo’s cell cultivation process involves selecting cells from premium cacao beans and growing them in bioreactors, nurtured with tailored growth media. These cells then form a biomass, which is harvested and processed into powder or other formats.
The technology could help to address cacao shortages and rising prices, caused partly by severe weather events that have negatively impacted harvests. Kokomodo aims to ensure a stable, year-round supply of sustainable, premium cacao.
“Partnering with Halba and Coop through the Kickstart platform marks a transformative milestone for Kokomodo,” said Tal Govrin, founder and CEO of Kokomodo, on LinkedIn. “Our vision extends beyond health and functional benefits to redefine cacao as a sustainable, future-proof ingredient that supports global food systems year-round. This collaboration enables us to validate our technology at scale together with industry leaders.”
