Planet A Foods

Willy Wonka relied on fantastical ingredients to make his candy. Instead of magic, the German start-up Planet A Foods uses chromatography, mass spectrometry, and genetic engineering to make ‘ chocolate ’ without cocoa. Because of poor conditions linked to climate change, cacao , which is ground to become cocoa, is becoming harder to grow in countries where it is a major crop. With the supply of cocoa down in recent years, prices have risen. Planet A Foods avoids this problem by starting with sunflower and grape seeds to make its product, called ChoViva. Cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Sara Marquart says the taste is indistinguishable from that of chocolate. “It tastes very chocolaty,” she says. In addition to being cheaper than chocolate, ChoViva has a carbon footprint only about 10% of chocolate’s, largely because the company sources its ingredients regionally when it can, Marquart says. Marquart’s brother Max Marquart, a