This collaboration is part of Barry Callebaut’s long-term commitment to innovation and sustainability in the chocolate industry
Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa solutions, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) to explore the potential of cocoa cell culture technology. This collaboration is part of Barry Callebaut’s long-term commitment to innovation and sustainability in the chocolate industry.
Cocoa cell culture is an emerging field that enables the cultivation of cocoa cells in a controlled environment. While still in the early stages of development, this technology presents promising opportunities to:
Develop new chocolate products with unique flavour profiles or enhanced health benefits
Provide an alternative cocoa source to diversify our cocoa portfolio
Strengthen supply chain resilience while supporting traditional cocoa farming communities
This partnership reflects our proactive approach to building innovation capabilities that will shape the future of chocolate. We are not replacing cocoa from farms, but rather preparing for a future where we can offer consumers additional choices and ensure long-term supply security, said Dries Roekaerts, President Customer Experience at Barry Callebaut
The collaboration brings together Barry Callebaut’s deep expertise in chocolate with the scientific leadership of ZHAW Professors Tilo Hühn and Regine Eibl, renowned for their pioneering work in cell culture technologies. Their teams bring decades of experience and a strong portfolio of scientific publications to the project.
