Page 13 - aruba-today-20240902

BUSINESS Monday 2 SepteMber 2024
A13

Companies are crafting new ways to grow cocoa, HEALTH

and chocolate alternatives, to keep up with demand DOCTOR ON DUTY

Oranjestad
By AMY TAXIN and cocoa substitute.
TERRY CHEA They said they also are hop- Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
Associated Press ing to tap into rising con- Tel. 527 4000
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. sciousness among consum- San Nicolas
(AP) — Climate change is ers about where their food Imsan 24 hours
stressing rainforests where comes from and what it Tel.524 8833
the highly sensitive cocoa takes to grow it, particularly Women in Difficulties
bean grows, but choco- the use of child labor in the PHARMACY ON DUTY
late lovers need not de- cocoa industry. Oranjestad:
spair, say companies that Planet A Foods in Planegg, Paradera : tel.586 8181
are researching other ways Germany, contends the San Nicolas:
to grow cocoa or develop taste of mass market choc- Centro Medico:tel. 584 5119
cocoa substitutes. olate is derived largely from
Scientists and entrepre- the fermentation and roast- OTHER
neurs are working on ways ing in making it, not the co- Dental Clinic 587 9850
to make more cocoa that Chocolate callets are displayed at the California Cultured office coa bean itself. Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002
stretch well beyond the in West Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. The company's founders Urgent Care 586 0448
tropics, from Northern Cali- Associated Press tested out ingredients rang- Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic
fornia to Israel. ing from olives to seaweed +297 588 0539
Women in Difficulties
California Cultured, a plant the National Confectioners chocolatey-flavored," said and settled on a mix of oats EMERGENCY
cell culture company, is Association. Many entre- Carla D. Martin, executive and sunflower seeds as the Police 100
growing cocoa from cell preneurs are betting on de- director of the Fine Cacao best tasting chocolate Oranjestad 527 3140
cultures at a facility in West mand growing faster than and Chocolate Institute alternative, said Jessica Noord 527 3200
Sacramento, California, the supply of cocoa. Com- and a lecturer in African Karch, a company spokes- Sta. Cruz 527 2900
with plans to start selling its panies are looking at either and African American Stud- person. They called it "Cho- San Nicolas 584 5000
products next year. It puts bolstering the supply with ies at Harvard University. Viva" and it can be subbed Police Tipline 11141
cocoa bean cells in a vat cell-based cocoa or offer- The innovation is largely into baked goods, she said. Ambulancia 911
with sugar water so they re- ing alternatives made from driven by demand for "The idea is not to replace Fire Dept. 115
582 2219
Red Cross
produce quickly and reach products ranging from oats chocolate in the U.S. and the high quality, 80% dark
maturity in a week rather to carob that are roasted Europe, Martin said. While chocolate, but really to TAXI SERVICES
than the six to eight months and flavored to produce a three-quarters of the world's have a lot of different prod- Taxi Tas 587 5900
a traditional harvest takes, chocolatey taste for chips cocoa is grown in West and ucts in the mass market," Prof. Taxi 588 0035
said Alan Perlstein, the or filling. Central Africa, only 4% is Karch said.q Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
company's chief executive. The price of cocoa soared consumed there, she said. Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232
A1 Taxi Serv.
280 2828
The process also no longer earlier this year because The push to produce cocoa Women in Difficulties
requires as much water or of demand and troubles indoors in the U.S. comes TRAVEL INFO
arduous labor. with the crop in West Africa after other products, such
"We see just the demand of due to plant disease and as chicken meat, have al- Aruba Airport 524 2424
chocolate monstrously out- changes in weather. The ready been grown in labs. American Airlines 582 2700
stripping what is going to region produces the bulk It also comes as supermar- Avianca 588 0059
be available," Perlstein said. of the world's cocoa. ket shelves fill with evolving Jet Blue 588 2244
Women in Difficulties
"There's really no other way "All of this contributes to a snack options — something Surinam 582 7896
that we see that the world potential instability in sup- that developers of cocoa AID FOUNDATIONS
could significantly increase ply, so it is attractive to these alternatives say shows Aruba Food Bank
the supply of cocoa or still lab-grown or cocoa substi- people are ready to try Tel. 588 0002
keep it at affordable levels tute companies to think of what looks and tastes like FAVI- Visually Impaired
without extensive either en- ways to replace that ingre- a chocolate chip cookie Tel. 582 5051
vironmental degradation or dient that we know of as even if the chip contains a Alcoholics Anonymous
Tel. 736 2952
some significant other cost." Narcotics Anonymous
Cocoa trees grow about 20 Tel. 583 8989
degrees north and south of Fundacion Contra Violencia
the equator in regions with Relacional Tel. 583 5400
warm weather and abun- Centre for Diabetes
dant rain, including West Tel. 524 8888
Child Abuse Prevention
Africa and South America. Tel. 582 4433
Climate change is expect- Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
ed to dry out the land un- Women in Difficulties
der the additional heat. General Info
So scientists, entrepreneurs Phone Directory Tel. 118
and chocolate-lovers are
coming up with ways to
grow cocoa and make
the crop more resilient and
more resistant to pests — as
well as craft chocolatey-
tasting cocoa alternatives
to meet demand.
The market for chocolate
is massive with sales in the
United States surpassing $25
billion in 2023, according to facebook.com/arubatoday/