CULT Food Science completes investment with cell-based chocolate maker

VANCOUVER — CULT Food Science Corp.  has completed an investment into the cultured chocolate manufacturer, California Cultured Inc. Based in Davis, Calif., California Cultured uses cell culture technology to produce cocoa products like cocoa powder, chocolate, and cocoa butter.

Alongside other prominent capital allocators to the cellular agriculture industry such as London Stock Exchange-listed Agronomics Limited, CULT is pleased to support California Cultured’s noble mission and is optimistic about the future of cell-based food production in chocolate and other major food categories.

California Cultured uses cell cultivation to manufacture its products and sources ingredients in the U.S.

The company says it is concerned with the child-labour and other unsustainable practices found in chocolate production and aims to find a solution to these issues.

A statement from the company supplemented California Cultured’s stance on the human and environmental costs of mainstream chocolate production with some of their own key research points.

• Cocoa farmers typically earn below poverty wages, pushing them to seek labour from children who receive little or no compensation.
• Children are taken from their families at a young age and forced into harvesting cocoa. They do not return home for several years.
• In the last decade, child labour has gained prevalence in Ghana and Ivory Coast.
• Cocoa production relies on monoculture growth which leads to deforestation and with this the loss of primate populations.

“CULT is proud to support such a revolutionary venture that is aiming to be a leading catalyst in changing the global food industry for the better. California Cultured’s innovative, responsible and disruptive pursuit aligns well with our Company’s ethos. We believe cell-cultured cocoa is the next step in the sustainable, safe, and ethical food production of a major global food category,” said Lejjy Gafour, President of CULT in a statement.