Lab-grown coffee and cocoa: A solution to rising prices and environmental harm?
Start-ups are racing to develop lab-grown alternatives to coffee, cocoa, and palm oil, aiming to reduce the environmental and social harm linked to these crops while meeting rising global demand. Yet, little is known about the full potential and consequences of these innovations, according to a new study published in Nature Food.
It has been estimated that the supply of traditionally produced coffee will decrease by up to 50 percent by 2050, meanwhile the global demand is expected to double. Photo: Canva
Over the past year, coffee and cocoa prices have soared due to extreme weather fueled by climate change, leading to lower yields. The traditional production of these crops is also plagued by deforestation and unethical labor practices, including child labor. Meanwhile, global demand continues to climb.
“For instance, it has been estimated that the supply of traditionally produced coffee will decrease by up to 50 percent by 2050, meanwhile the global demand is expected to double. This leaves a big gap.” says Anne Charlotte Bunge, PhD Candidate at Stockholm Resilience Centre, and co-author of the article published in the journal Nature Food.