The Kitchen FoodTech Hub is a seed investor and a Technology Incubator focusing on FoodTech. It invests in 3-4 new FoodTech startups each year. During the incubation period the startups benefit from close support from The Kitchen's team and a large range of experts. The Kitchen was established in 2015 by the Strauss-Group, an international food company based in Israel and is a member of the Israeli Innovation Authority incubators' program.

The Kitchen - FoodTech Hub

Kokomodo

Kokomodo is a producer of cocoa via plant cell culture. Kokomodo cellular agriculture technology produces real, controlled, climate-resilient cacao, everywhere, year-round.

Kokomodo, founded in 2024, is an Israeli cellular agriculture startup that produces cultivated cocoa ingredients, ensuring a stable and sustainable supply of premium cocoa. It was established as a joint venture between The Kitchen FoodTech Hub and Tel Aviv-based Plantae Bioscience. The company selects cells from the cacao strains in Central and South America and cultivates them in bioreactors using tailored growth media. Its first product is a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31182">cell-cultivated cocoa powder</a> designed for use across various industries, including food, beverages, supplements, and cosmetics. The startup planned to launch a cell-cultivated cocoa butter.

Empowering sustainable food innovation through food engineering tech

Alternative Ingredients

Real cocoa… without the beans? Kokomodo deploys plant cell culture to tackle cocoa supply challenge

Kokomodo, founded in 2024, is an Israeli cellular agriculture startup that produces cultivated cocoa ingredients, ensuring a stable and sustainable supply of premium cocoa. It was established as a joint venture between The Kitchen FoodTech Hub and Tel Aviv-based Plantae Bioscience. The company selects cells from the cacao strains in Central and South America and cultivates them in bioreactors using tailored growth media. Its first product is a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31182">cell-cultivated cocoa powder</a> designed for use across various industries, including food, beverages, supplements, and cosmetics. The startup planned to launch a cell-cultivated cocoa butter.Kokomodo aims to match the aroma, flavors, and sweetness of traditional cocoa while capturing its nutraceutical values and health benefits. According to the company, its technology offers complete control over the cacao product's design through different blends of cell lines, antioxidant output, and granular details like powder size and behavior, allowing it to offer cocoa ingredients tailored to different industries. Moreover, by localizing production, the company minimizes carbon emissions from transportation and tackles economic issues such as supply chain delays.

<div>
 
 California Cultured is a producer of cocoa products such as cocoa powder, chocolate, cocoa butter, and flavanols using plant cell culture technology by taking biopsies from selected cacao plants. The company developed its research based on Criollo cacao varieties, fine-tuning cell lines for specific flavors. In August 2022, the company announced that it was working on the development of cell-cultured coffee.
 
 
 As of December 2022, the company was building its 12,100 sq m facility in West Sacramento and had begun building its pilot plant. As of July 2023, the company was finalizing production methods, with the aim of a commercial launch by 2025&ndash;2026, following FDA approval.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In 2022, California Cultured partnered with VTT, a Finnish national research institute, to develop cell lines for cell-cultured coffee. 
 &nbsp;In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates">
 February 2023
 </a>
 , the company inked a 10-year commercial partnership with Japanese chocolate corporation Meiji to incorporate its cell-based cocoa into Meiji's products. This collaboration marked the first global use of cell-cultured chocolate.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 California Cultured received undisclosed investments from investment platforms focused on clean, lab-grown food such as CULT Food Science (February 2022) and Blue Horizon (March 2022). In October 2021, the company raised USD 4 million in seed funding led by Agronomics to expand its R&amp;D activities.
 
 
 
 .
 
</div>

California Cultured

Nukoko is a UK-based company that produces 100% cocoa-free chocolate peanuts made from locally sourced fava beans using a biotransformation and precision fermentation process. It also uses a microbial library of cocoa flavors to match chocolate in terms of flavor, thickness, and texture.As of October 2023, the company had opened a limited product launch and sold out the first batch of cocoa-free chocolate nuts, with a full launch planned for 2025 for the EU/UK markets as a B2B ingredients supplier. The company claims to produce 90% less carbon emission per kg than conventional chocolate&nbsp;and its chocolate alternatives contain 40% less sugar and higher protein, fiber, and antioxidants than traditional chocolate.&nbsp;

Nukoko

<div>
 
 Win-Win (WNWN Food Labs prior to 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27014">
 February 2024
 </a>
 ) is a London-based producer of cocoa-free chocolate using plant-based ingredients such as grains/cereals and legumes through a proprietary fermentation process. The company's cocoa-free chocolate can be used in candy bars, confectionery, cookies, chocolate coatings, ice cream, and beverages. It claims to use 90% less water and emit 80%&ndash;90% less greenhouse gases than regular chocolate.
 
 
 In May 2022, Win-Win was operating on a lab scale, capable of producing between 300kg and 600 kg (~661 and 1,323 lbs) of chocolate per month. In November 2022, the company began expanding its facility in Hackney Wick, increasing its production space 8x. In November 2023, the company expanded its plant-based milk chocolate to bakeries, foodservice, confectionery groups, and CPG/FMCG companies 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24144">
 worldwide
 </a>
 .
 
 
 The company had previously introduced limited-edition cocoa-free products via D2C channels: dark chocolate thins at GBP 10 (~USD 13) per box (May 2022) and the Waim! Bar priced at GBP 8 (~USD 9) for a pack of three bars (September 2022). In March 2023, the company finalized the recipe and process for a line of milk chocolate products that are cocoa- and dairy-free and contain both oats and tiger nuts. The company also experimented with an alternative chocolate ice cream bar at the H&auml;agen-Dazs Start-Up Innovation Challenge in June 2023.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In September 2023, Win-Win partnered with the UK department store Fortnum &amp; Mason to showcase its cocoa-free chocolate and technology, including a demonstration and tasting during Fortnum's Harvest Week. In December 2022, the company partnered with Milan-based luxury gift service DLISH to include its specialty chocolate hazelnut gianduja, a northern Italian confection, in DLISH's holiday gifts. In December 2023, the company completed the 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24805">
 CoLab Tech accelerator
 </a>
 with Mondelēz International and showcased its cocoa-free chocolate bars, truffles, and coated biscuits at Mondelēz's North American headquarters.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In February 2023, Win-Win raised GBP 4.5 million (~USD 5.6 million) in Series A funding to scale up manufacturing and increase headcount in anticipation of its UK retail launch.
 
 
 
</div>

Win-Win

<div>
 
 Planet A Foods is a Germany-based startup that makes cocoa-free chocolate ChoViva (formerly NoCoa/QOA) via precision fermentation of oats and sunflower seeds. It then uses proprietary micro-bacteria and flavor formation processes to create a vegan product that mimics the texture and flavor of chocolate. In addition to Germany, ChoViva focuses on Austria and Switzerland, with expansion plans to the US in 2024.
 
 
 Planet A Foods produces cocoa-free chocolates by blending cocoa-free ingredients: a cocoa powder substitute (ChoViva Concentrate) and a cocoa butter substitute (ChoViva Butter). ChoViva represents Planet Foods' debut cocoa-free chocolate product, created using Planet A Foods' cocoa concentrate alternative. The chocolate is produced in-house at Planet A&rsquo;s facility in the Czech Republic. As of October 2023, the ChoViva range included 21 products with prices ranging from EUR 0.5 to EUR 9.95 (~USD 0.53 to USD 10.48).
 
 
 Additionally, the company was in the process of developing its cocoa butter alternative through precision fermentation technology, using single-cell oils and fermentation byproducts. As of October 2023, the company was shipping this fat to early customers for R&amp;D purposes.
 
 
 The company asserts that its chocolate product could be 10x more sustainable, 20% cheaper, and emit about 92% less than conventional chocolate while also using 30% less sugar and 94% less water.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In April 2023, the company partnered with German online retailer Confiserie Seidl to launch ChoViva, its first sustainable chocolate line. The brand sees itself as a B2B player, after partnering with oat cereal maker K&ouml;lln on a new line of vegan mueslis using the company's cocoa-free chocolate in September 2023. In December 2023, ChoViva teamed up with 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24997">
 Lindt
 </a>
 to launch a special edition chocolate bar for Veganuary, named &quot;Soft &amp; Creamy Hazelnut.
 
 
 In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26955">
 February 2024
 </a>
 , Planet A Foods partnered with REWE Group, Germany&rsquo;s second-largest supermarket chain, to supply ChoViva for REWE Group&rsquo;s own-label cocoa-free products.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In its latest funding round in 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26176">
 February 2024
 </a>
 , the company raised USD 15.4 million in Series A funding led by World Fund, with participation from Omnes Capital, Cherry Ventures, Nucleus Capital, and others. The funds were earmarked for additional scientist hires to bolster its 50-person team in Germany to increase the production of cocoa butter and palm oil alternatives on an industrial scale.
 
 
 
</div>

Planet A Foods

<div>
 
 Atomo Coffee is a developer of beanless coffee that comes in two flavors: 1) regular beanless coffee with 100 mg of caffeine per serving made from date seeds, ramon seeds, sunflower seed extract, pea protein, millet, lemon, guava, and defatted fenugreek seeds and 2) decaffeinated (decaf) beanless coffee. The company claims to be the world's first beanless coffee maker.
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s products are available for retail purchase at 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23234">
 Gumption Coffee
 </a>
 in New York. In addition, the company began taking pre-orders for wholesale at a price of USD 20.99 per pound (as of October 2023).
 
 
 The company also plans to open a facility in March 2024 that can annually produce four million lbs of ground coffee, made from upcycled date pits (~80 million cups).
 
 
 Atomo's brews reportedly use 94% less water and produce 93% less carbon emissions than traditional coffee.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In July 2022, the company partnered with Minor Figures, a vegan products company, to launch the 8-ounce canned Oat Milk Latte, a beanless cold brew, one of Atomo's first focus products.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In June 2022, the company raised USD 40 million in a Series A funding round for product development and to scale up manufacturing. In November 2023, the company secured an undisclosed multi-million dollar investment from Japanese beverage leader 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24577">
 Suntory Holdings
 </a>
 to strengthen its international distribution.
 
 
 
</div>

Atomo Coffee

Companies providing technology related to fortification, cell culture, and fermentation and those supplying equipment including bioreactors and fermenters for the production of novel foods

Companies offering salt substitutes to reduce sodium content in foods and beverages

Companies developing natural sweeteners and solutions to reduce sugar content in foods and beverages

Companies creating natural flavor, texture, and coloring ingredients from plant-based sources like seaweed and algae

Companies producing chocolate without cocoa using ingredients like oats, seeds, and cell-cultured cocoa

Companies making coffee substitutes from ingredients like barley, date seeds, and sunflower seeds

Companies offering plant-based alternatives to honey and nut spreads, addressing dietary restrictions and allergies

Companies producing cooking oils and fats through fermentation, cell-cultured and plant-based extraction processes

Companies developing protein ingredients via cell-culture or fermentation for dietary supplements and food production, excluding plant-based or cell-cultured meat

Transforms raw materials into novel, sustainable food products with minimal environmental impact

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 Israeli startup Kokomodo is revolutionizing the cacao industry with a platform that cultivates cacao cells independent of land and climate, bypassing the need for deforestation. The company's first product is cell-cultivated cocoa powder.
 The cultivation process involves choosing cacao bean cells from Central and Latin America and growing them in bioreactors using a custom mix of sugars, vitamins, and minerals. This results in a biomass that can be harvested and processed into powder or other desired forms.
 According to Kokomodo, the cell-cultivated cacao maintains the aroma, flavors, and sweetness of traditional cacao while providing health benefits and sustainability. With the ability to control variables in the cultivation process, Kokomodo can enhance the nutritional value of cacao by adjusting the content of lipids, antioxidants, and proteins.
 Established in 2024, Kokomodo is a joint venture between The Kitchen FoodTech Hub and Tel Aviv-based Plantae Bioscience. With recent funding support of USD 750,000 from The Kitchen Hub and the Israel Innovation Authority, the company aims to further its mission to make a sustainable shift in the cocoa industry.
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Traditional cocoa production often involves environmental and ethical concerns like <a href="https: 
//earth.org/how-does-cocoa-farming-cause-deforestation/#: 
~: 
text=Worldwide%2C%20almost%2080%25%20of%20the,farming%2C%20the%20continent's%20largest%20crop."> deforestation and </a> <a href="https: 
//www.cocoainitiative.org/issues/child-labour-cocoa#: 
~: 
text=An%20estimated%201.56%20million%20children,labour%20is%20a%20complex%20issue."> child labor </a> . Producers of cocoa via cell cultivation, such as <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/companies/3014194"> Food Brewer </a> , <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/companies/1347941"> California Cultured </a> , and <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/companies/2443547"> Celleste Bio </a> , aim to resolve these issues by significantly reducing land, labor, and water requirements.

Kokomodo

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