By Lynda Kiernan

Seattle-based foodtech startup Atomo Coffee announced it has raised $2.6 million in Seed funding from Horizon Ventures, an early investor in Impossible Burger, to make the world’s first molecular coffee without beans. 

As global climate change intensifies, coffee plantations have been pushed into higher elevations, clearing new land suitable for the production of Arabica coffee beans, which grow at temperatures between 64 and 70 degrees. These higher-quality, in-demand beans account for two-thirds of global coffee production, but are only grown in specific subtropical highland regions.

In 2014, extreme drought in the world’s top two coffee producing regions of Brazil and Vietnam severely cut output, while in Central America, high temperatures and heavy rainfall led to an outbreak of leaf rust fungus, costing farmers $250 million in losses, and resulting in Arabica prices doubling in one year. 

If conditions continue, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) warns that  half of the world’s coffee producing land will no longer be suitable for production by 2050.

World Coffee Research, CIAT, and agricultural producers are taking various measures to mitigate the damage, including the development of new bean varieties, implementing shaded production practices, and integrating biologicals into pest control protocols, but Atomo is approaching the challenges from a different angle, by reverse engineering the coffee bean to make bean-less coffee. 

“The coffee industry is ripe for innovation and change,” said chief scientist Jarret Stopforth Ph.D. “The acceptance of agriculture alternatives has been proven with meatless meats and dairy-free milks, we want to continue that movement in a category we feel passionate about, coffee.”

The Atomo team used advanced analytic tools to study green coffee beans, roasted coffee beans, and brewed coffee samples to determine the thousands of volatile and non-volatile compounds, such as aromatics, acids, alcohols, and flavors that give coffee its unique taste, aroma, color, and mouthfeel. By doing so, Atomo was able to create a unique bean-less coffee that is more consistent, sustainable, and environmentally friendly than its traditional counterpart.

“Atomo’s bean-less coffee provides consumers with a sustainable choice while delivering the great taste and caffeine they expect in their morning cup,” said CEO of Atomo, Andy Kleitsch.

At the beginning of this year, Atomo went to the University of Washington where it conducted a blind taste test [video] among the students on campus, where 70 percent of participants preferred Atomo coffee to Starbucks. However, the company is continuing to improve its proprietary formulation, including considering the use of more upcycled ingredients. 

The company has also added veterans of the beverage technology space to its advisory board, including the CEO of Soylent Bryan Crowley, and Dr. Chahan Yeretzian, a leading coffee science expert with the Swiss Coffee Excellence Center (ZHAW).

“Coffee consumption has been steadily increasing year over year globally,”  said Tony Lau of Horizons Ventures. “We are proud to share Atomo’s vision in finding innovative alternative solutions to the growing issues surrounding the coffee industry.”

 

– Lynda Kiernan is Editor with GAI Media and daily contributor to GAI News. If you would like to submit a contribution for consideration, please contact Ms. Kiernan at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.