As Easter approaches, chocolate takes centre stage. Across the world, people look forward to cracking open their festive chocolate eggs, which are traditionally delivered by the Easter Bunny. However, behind the scenes, a quiet revolution is underway that could radically change the chocolate eggs that are delivered in the future.
Conventional chocolate production faces growing challenges. Climate change is already making cocoa farming harder, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall threatening both yields and farmer livelihoods. On top of that, cocoa farming has a significant environmental impact — it's one of the leading drivers of deforestation in West Africa. The supply chain also raises ethical concerns, particularly around labour practices. Reports of child labour and unsafe working conditions continue to tarnish the industry's image.
These challenges are pushing innovators to rethink how we make chocolate. A new wave of technologies is emerging to recreate cocoa and its rich flavours — without the downsides of traditional cocoa farming. The result — lab-grown chocolate.
Various different technologies are being used by innovators to replicate or replace traditional cocoa.
Cellular agriculture
Some innovators are cultivating cocoa cells in bioreactors in a process similar to lab-grown meat production. These cultivated cocoa cells are fed nutrients and grown under controlled conditions, resulting in cocoa biomass that can be processed into chocolate. This produces “real” cocoa, without the need for large-scale farming.
Precision fermentation
Microbes such as yeast or fungi, are also being genetically programmed to produce cocoa-like compounds that can be used as chocolate precursors. This approach is highly scalable, and the products can be customized, providing the opportunity for new chocolate flavours.
Upcycled & hybrid approaches
Other innovators are blending lab-grown cocoa with upcycled ingredients (like fruit pulp or carob) to reduce the environmental footprint while maintaining taste and texture. These hybrid chocolates may be the first lab grown chocolate products to reach the mainstream market.
Easter is a peak time for chocolate consumption. However, this also brings ethical concerns about conventional chocolate production to the fore. Lab-grown chocolate offers a chance to shift the narrative. Easter eggs made from lab-grown chocolate allow consumers to satisfy their demand for chocolate without impacting on the environment.
Lab-grown chocolate is still some way off. As with lab-grown meat, price, scale, and regulatory approval are still hurdles to overcome. However, momentum is building. Innovator companies like California Cultured, Foreverland, and Planet A Foods are pushing boundaries, and lab-grown chocolate eggs may be part of our Easter traditions sooner than we think.
As we enjoy our traditional chocolate eggs this Easter, we can look forward to a future where this indulgence comes with a cleaner conscience. Maybe soon, our treats will be delivered not by an Easter Bunny in a field, but by an Easter Bunny in a lab coat.
Read our other blog to learn more about how the chocolate industry is embracing the era of Industry 4.0 which is transforming every step of the supply chain.
