Your morning cup of coffee may be missing a key ingredient in the future: coffee beans.
Coffee is so popular around the world that the vast need for its cultivation is devastating the environment. Some companies are therefore looking for a more sustainable alternative.
A handful of them are already using biotechnology and food science to create viable coffee substitutes, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Atomo, one such company, has launched a series of grain-free products. Its Coachella Latte Blend is ground espresso made with things like date seeds, lemon and guava. A one-pound bag of the regular and decaf versions costs $15.99.
Other companies rely on cells grown in the lab from coffee plants, the Journal reported.
Coffee beans and coffee Getty Images
Demand for coffee remains high, with the National Coffee Association reporting in 2020 that the average American drinks “just over 3 cups per day.” The Journal reported that people around the world drink two billion cups of coffee a day.
This has led to massive deforestation, increased carbon emissions and low wages for farmers who tend the crops. The climate crisis is also making land generally suitable for coffee production unsuitable.
The coffee industry is also looking at possible price increases in the future as El Niño causes a drought in Vietnam, the country that produces the largest amount of Robusta coffee in the world, Bloomberg reported in April.
Bean-free coffee and other alternatives could be a good solution to all these coffee-related problems. But just like the synthetic and alternative meat industry, convincing consumers to try it might be the biggest challenge of all.
businessinsider
