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Nukoko is a technology company.
Nukoko creates and produces innovative cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. The company employs a proprietary platform to transform European-grown fava beans into a product that closely mirrors traditional chocolate, utilizing a bean-to-bar manufacturing approach. This method yields an indulgent flavor profile while offering environmental advantages and improved nutritional qualities, including reduced sugar content and higher levels of protein and fiber.
The company was co-founded in 2022 by Ross Newton, Kit Tomlinson, and Professor David Salt. Newton and Tomlinson bring prior experience as chocolate entrepreneurs, having successfully exited a previous venture in the industry. Professor Salt contributes deep scientific expertise as a distinguished cocoa research scientist. Their collective insight centered on reimagining chocolate production from its foundational elements to address issues of sustainability and supply chain resilience.
Nukoko primarily serves B2B clients, offering its sustainable chocolate solutions to manufacturers seeking ethical and environmentally conscious ingredients. The company’s overarching vision is to redefine the future of chocolate, providing an alternative that mitigates environmental impact and addresses vulnerabilities inherent in the traditional cocoa supply chain, fostering a more sustainable and healthier food system.
Nukoko has raised $1.5M across 2 funding rounds.
Nukoko has raised $1.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Nukoko is a UK-based food tech startup pioneering a 100% cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from European fava beans using precision fermentation and proprietary technology.[1][2][5] It serves chocolate manufacturers and brands seeking sustainable ingredients that match traditional chocolate's flavor, melt, and performance while reducing environmental impact and supply chain risks.[1][2][5] The product solves cocoa shortages driven by climate change, rising demand, and unsustainable farming by offering a healthier, scalable alternative from nitrogen-fixing fava beans that enrich soil and cut fertilizer needs.[1][2][4][5] Backed by SOSV and EIT Food with under $5M in funding, Nukoko demonstrates early growth through partnerships and accelerator programs.[1][3][4]
Nukoko was founded by a team of chocolate experts passionate about reimagining the industry they love, led by Kit Tomlinson (serial entrepreneur in food brand scaling), Ross Newton (chocolate manufacturing veteran with a decade of experience), and Professor David Salt (food scientist with 35 years in biotechnology and sustainable innovation).[2] The idea emerged from founders' 15 years in the chocolate sector, recognizing cocoa's worsening issues like environmental damage, supply scarcity, and price surges amid climate disruptions.[1][5] They developed a "bean-to-bar" process starting with European fava beans, transformed via innovative precision fermentation to replicate chocolate's complex flavors.[1][2][6] Early traction came through SOSV investment, EIT Food acceleration, and patent-pending tech, positioning them as pioneers in alt-chocolate.[1][3][4][6]
Nukoko rides the climate-resilient food tech wave, addressing cocoa's "perfect storm" of yield disruptions from climate change, surging global demand, and mounting environmental costs in traditional production.[1][5] Timing is critical as cocoa prices soar and supplies falter, creating urgency for alternatives in a $100B+ chocolate market vulnerable to West African monoculture risks.[5] Market forces like ESG mandates, shorter supply chains post-COVID, and rising alt-protein adoption favor Nukoko's local, low-impact model.[2][4][5] It influences the ecosystem by partnering with major brands for B2B scaling, accelerating precision fermentation in confectionery, and inspiring a shift to regenerative agriculture via fava beans.[1][2][5]
Nukoko is poised for explosive growth as cocoa crises intensify, with next steps likely including commercial partnerships, production scaling, and global B2B expansion beyond the UK.[1][3][5] Trends like precision fermentation maturation, EU sustainability regs, and consumer demand for ethical indulgences will propel them, potentially capturing share from embattled incumbents.[2][4][5] Their influence may evolve from niche innovator to industry standard-setter, redefining "bean-to-bar" for a sustainable era—proving chocolate's future thrives without cocoa, just as they envisioned from day one.[1][2]
Nukoko has raised $1.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Nukoko's investors include Oyster Bay, SOSV, Innovate UK, The Mills Fabrica.
Nukoko has raised $1.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in March 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2024 | $1.0M Seed | Oyster Bay | SOSV, Innovate UK, The Mills Fabrica |
| Dec 1, 2022 | $530K Seed | SOSV |