AAK joins the platform of Mista innovation
AAK AB has signed up for the innovation platform Mista, located in San Francisco.
Established by Givaudan in 2018, Mista optimises concepts and solutions targeted at addressing present and future market difficulties by combining the experience of major food and beverage corporations with a chosen group of entrepreneurs. The platform hosts startups in the fields of biotechnology, clean meat, plant-based businesses, and technology.
According to Niall Sands, president of plant-based foods at AAK, “plant-based foods is not just a trend; rather, given its growth trajectory, it is rapidly becoming a mainstream lifestyle choice.” Motivated by concerns about animal welfare, nutrition, sustainability, and well-being, it has also brought attention to problems with the current food system. With our application knowledge and understanding of specialty oils and fats, we eagerly anticipate working with the other Mista members to address the ever-evolving demands of consumers.
Danone, Mars, Inc., and Ingredion, Inc. are among the other businesses taking part in the initiative.
Poverty, weather conditions, pest and disease, land competition, farming standards and political factors are just a few of the challenges that impact chocolate sourcing,” said Kate Clancy, group sustainability director, Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate. “Many smallholder farming households struggle to make a living income from cocoa and have limited access to the infrastructure, training and finance they need to invest in their farms and run a successful business, on and off farm. Further, social issues, such as child labor and gender equity, are interconnected. Supporting farmers, their families and the communities where they live is therefore an essential precondition for securing the future of cocoa and helps build prosperity where cocoa is grown.”
Tackling these issues and producing sustainably sourced chocolate is good for business, with seven in 10 global consumers saying sustainability influences their cocoa and chocolate purchases, Ms. Clancy added.
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“Among North American shoppers, our research finds one in two consumers say sustainability impacts their chocolate product purchase decisions and six in 10 are drawn to cocoa sustainability messaging on product packaging,” she said. “Even more enlightening, half indicate they’d be willing to pay more for chocolate products made with 100% sustainable cocoa.”
Tracking the cocoa supply is critical to creating a more environmentally positive future for chocolate, but it isn’t easy.
“The cocoa supply chain involves thousands of smallholder farmers producing a small number of beans from individual plots, mainly in remote, rural communities with little connectivity or infrastructure,” said Andrew Brooks, head of cocoa sustainability, OFI.