Coffee… without coffee? An American start-up takes on the challenge of coping with the climate crisis that threatens coffee cultivation. His recipe: recycled date seeds combined with chicory and grape extracts. For now, the formula can only be enjoyed in cold coffee.
Meat without meat, nuggets without chicken, cheese without cow’s milk… Even though they are numerous, scientific research is not only being carried out to replace animal proteins. Agri-food engineers are also working on the issue of these foods that could potentially disappear due to global warming.
For some, we are already seeing the consequences. This is the case with coffee. In one year, the price of arabica has increased by almost 40%. In the office, even the coffee machine should soon show a price increase of five cents. The reason: periods of frost but also floods in Brazil that destroyed almost 30% of the crops.
An American start-up, based in Seattle, has been thinking for three years about a formula that could compensate for the lack of coffee beans. His idea: to recycle date seeds rehydrated in a liquid solution based on chicory and grape extracts. The caffeine in the recipe is extracted from tea leaves.
After a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, the Atomo brand stamped out chained financial investments to this latest $40 million fundraiser. Funding that will allow the commercialization of this formula, which can currently only be tasted in “cold brew”, ie in cold brew coffee, will be carried out. The kawa is therefore served in cans (count between 5 dollars and 5.50 dollars per can, or about 4.78 euros and 5.25 euros). Sales should start online from July 15, while commercial agreements should soon help the distribution of this coffee-free coffee.
It is not the first time such an initiative to replace coffee has been carried out. In Finland, a team of researchers applied the principle of cultured meat to the cultivation of coffee beans. In short, a mobile cafe.
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