MANY MINDEDGreencovery Converts Cocoa Waste into Affordable Ingredients
Greencovery, established in 2018 at Wageningen University of Research, secured €1 million in funding to advance its chemical-physical separation process for converting cocoa sidestreams into functional ingredients. The company currently develops three products: a fibre ingredient, soluble fibre, and an extract, targeting a full-scale manufacturing capacity of 1,000 tonnes annually. This work directly tackles the waste of 70-80% of cocoa fruit discarded during chocolate production—a problem exacerbated by 2024’s record-low cocoa stocks and price spikes. Greencovery’s backers include regional development agency ROM InWest and venture partner Brightlands Venture Partners, with plans for a follow-on round up to €3 million.
The process transforms food-grade cocoa waste into nutritionally dense ingredients at scale, creating economic value from a waste stream that otherwise burdens the environment. By targeting 1,000 tonnes of annual output, Greencovery aims to make these ingredients more affordable and accessible while reducing the environmental footprint of chocolate production.
This moves abundance in nutrition by lowering costs for functional ingredients derived from waste—potentially increasing access to affordable dietary fiber and nutrients for communities affected by food waste. The next step is scaling to meet the 1,000-tonne target, though current production remains experimental. Crucially, the 70-80% waste figure applies specifically to cocoa fruit in chocolate production, and the capacity target represents full-scale commercial manufacturing, not current output. The source provides limited detail on market impact or pricing, so the scale of affordability gains remains unverified at this stage.
Source: Green Queen