Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
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Dr. Henrik Nausch
Head of Department »Model-based Product and Bioprocess Engineering«
Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
Forckenbeckstr. 6
52074 Aachen
Phone +49 241 6085-184
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Press release 15.07.2026
“COCO-AI”, a new Horizon Europe project coordinated by Fraunhofer IME, combines artificial intelligence and plant cell culture to develop a scalable platform for producing high-value natural ingredients without farmland. Using cocoa as its first demonstration, the project aims to strengthen Europe's bio-manufacturing capacity while reducing dependence on climate-vulnerable agricultural supply chains.
A new way to produce natural ingredients
Many ingredients used in food, cosmetics and health products rely on crops increasingly threatened by climate change, disease and supply chain disruption. Cocoa is a clear example, with declining harvests and record-high prices exposing the fragility of tropical production.
COCO-AI offers an alternative by growing plant cells directly in bioreactors rather than cultivating whole plants. This allows the cells to produce the same natural compounds while using significantly less land and water. Production can also take place closer to where ingredients are needed, improving supply chain resilience.
AI accelerating innovation
Artificial intelligence helps researchers optimise plant cell culture by analysing complex biological and process data, identifying patterns and guiding the most promising experiments. Rather than replacing scientists, AI speeds up the development of efficient, scalable production methods.
While cocoa is the flagship application, COCO-AI is designed as a platform technology. Researchers will also validate the approach in eight additional high-value plant species, including grape, oat and medicinal plants.
During the project, the consortium will scale cocoa cell production to industrial bioreactors of up to 10,000 litres, develop six new ingredient formulations and two prototype chocolate bars, and release open-source AI tools, validated methods and public datasets to support wider adoption.
Strengthening Europe's bioeconomy
COCO-AI aims to establish plant cell culture as a key technology for Europe's emerging bioeconomy by combining expertise in plant biology, AI and industrial biotechnology. The project will help lower barriers to adoption, strengthen Europe's bio-manufacturing capabilities and make its technologies openly available to researchers and industry.
The project brings together nine partners from Europe, Israel, Canada and the Republic of Korea, building on collaborations established through the Plant Cell Institute to create an integrated innovation pipeline from cell discovery to market-ready products.
