Annual global chocolate consumption in 2024 is projected at 7.5 million tons. Chocolate production requires large amounts of natural resources like land and water and can contribute to deforestation, and in places like the Ivory Coast, this can be as high as 70% of the country’s illegal deforestation. Cocao plantations also reduce the biodiversity of a given area, especially in monoculture cocoa plantations, which can lead to a loss of productivity within ecosystems. Chocolate production is also threatened by climate change due to changing weather patterns and extreme weather events, leading to a decrease in harvest size as well as an increase in chocolate prices. Chocolate production also contributes to climate change, and 40 gram chocolate bar can be associated with 200g of CO2 emissions. In addition, child labor and slavery are prevalent and an estimated 1.6 million enslaved children are located in cocoa plantations in West Africa (the primary production region of cocoa) due to the high demand for chocolate and high levels of poverty in this region. Conditions for cacao farmers can be very harsh with the average farmer making less than one dollar per day. Chocolate as a whole is a growing industry, but so are the harmful practices associated with it. Many people are unaware of the issues with chocolate manufacturing, which is why our project aims to bring more awareness and to give people more options to enjoy chocolate without supporting destructive practices.
Our objective is to engineer bacteria to sustainably produce chocolate compounds to counteract the large issues associated with chocolate production and highlight this global issue. By using microbes to produce the key chocolate taste chemicals, we can reduce the reliance on traditional cocoa farming and help establish new, sustainable production models. Synthetic production can be more controlled and efficient, leading to less waste, decreased CO2 emissions, and better management of resources and waste products. EVERYONE loves chocolate and our products can be a better way to continue enjoying chocolate without supporting harmful practices.