Draft:Cacaolab
Belgian chocolate R&D company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cacaolab is a Belgian research and development company specialising in cocoa and chocolate processing science. It was founded in 2012 as a spin-off of Ghent University's Food Structure and Function Research Group, part of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering.[1]
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| Company type | University spin-off |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food science, Cocoa and chocolate research |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Ghent, Belgium |
Key people | Prof. Koen Dewettinck (founder) |
| Parent | Ghent University (academic origin) |
| Website | cacaolab |
Background
Cacaolab was established by Professor Koen Dewettinck, who has led the Food Structure and Function Research Group at Ghent University since 1999.[2] Dewettinck has authored over 560 peer-reviewed publications in food science with more than 25,000 citations.[2] In 2013, he delivered a TEDx talk titled Can chocolate save the world? at TEDxGhent, discussing the scientific approach of Cacaolab.[3]
The company's founding was supported in part by a collaboration between Ghent University and Choprabisco, the Belgian chocolate and praline federation, with backing from the Flemish government.[4]
Services
Cacaolab provides confidential, bilateral R&D and consulting services to companies in the cocoa and chocolate manufacturing industry, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinational corporations.[5]
Areas of expertise include:
- Bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturing
- Sugar reduction and healthier chocolate formulation
- Cocoa butter alternatives and fat crystallisation
- Stability, shelf-life, and quality control
- Sustainable processing and sourcing
- Confectionery applications
The company operates a small-scale experimental chocolate and confectionery production facility that complies with HACCP food safety standards, used for prototype development and process optimisation.[1]
Training
Cacaolab organises science-driven masterclasses, workshops, webinars, and seminars on cocoa and chocolate processing, both in Belgium and in cocoa-producing regions internationally.[5]
Open Innovation Centre
In 2021, Cacaolab established an International Open Innovation Centre on Cocoa and Chocolate Processing, with the stated aim of creating a collaborative research and training hub for the global industry.[5]
Industry involvement
Cacaolab is a partner of EIT Food, Europe's largest food innovation community funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.[5] The company participated in the ProPraline project in 2012, an industry collaboration aimed at improving praline production quality for the Belgian chocolate sector.[6]