Since raising $9 million in seed funding in 2020, Seattle start-up Atomo has expanded, rebranded, and is scaling up manufacturing of its ‘molecular espresso’. The corporate has changed its pop artwork branding with a extra refined look, and goals to extend its present manufacturing volumes from round 1,000 cans of ‘reverse engineered’ espresso a day to 10,000 by the tip of the yr.
This may nonetheless be a drop within the ocean of worldwide espresso consumption – round two billion cups are drunk daily all over the world – however it will characterize a “important improve” for the start-up, mentioned Charlie Shaw, director of innovation on the firm, positioned a stone’s throw from espresso large Starbucks’ headquarters.
Atomo has two ready-to-drink (RTD) canned merchandise and is planning a comfortable launch within the first quarter of 2022, partnering with choose corporations and promoting to their staff with “occasional alternatives” for direct-to-consumer gross sales in pop-up fashion occasions, Shaw mentioned.
Its vary contains Traditional, described as a well-rounded medium roast cup with hints of cocoa, darkish fruit and smoke, and Extremely Clean, which has notes of pure caramel. Each have a balanced physique, delicate bitterness and acidity, and 98% of the ultimate product is produced from upcycled substances, such because the date seeds from southern California.
Though Atomo’s preliminary focus is on the home US market, it has ensured its product formulations are compliant with Canadian and European Union meals laws, preserving the door open to future exports, and its product builders are at the moment busy engaged on a sizzling espresso product.
“On the subject of sizzling espresso, we’re very targeted proper now on the buyer gesture and routine; one thing like a pour-over or drip machine and never essentially for meals service,” Shaw mentioned.
What’s in a cup of molecular espresso?
Atomo creates its ‘molecular espresso’ by breaking down the elements of espresso into 5 macroscopic properties that it goals to duplicate: aroma, style, texture, shade, and bioactive molecules.
“We take a look at all 5 as being important to espresso. If we’re going to say our product is made with out espresso beans however is espresso, then it has to match all these 5,” Shaw instructed FoodNavigator-USA.
As soon as it has recognized these macro properties, it makes use of a patented course of to transform compounds from different ingredient sources into the identical ones present in inexperienced espresso beans. Its present clear label formulation lists water, date seed extract, chicory root extract, grape pores and skin extract, inulin, pure flavors, and caffeine as substances.
Atomo says that reverse engineering the style of espresso permits it to create a taste profile that folks need; whereas espresso is undoubtedly a preferred drink, many individuals discover it too bitter, including milk and sugar to cover this.
In response to Shaw, the pure flavors present “delicate changes” to the flavour profile, however many of the taste, aroma, texture and shade comes from the date seeds and chicory. Inulin is used to bulk up the feel, whereas the grape pores and skin offers antioxidants.
Antioxidants from grapes, caffeine from tea
“Date seeds themselves have a excessive quantity of polyphenols […] and we’ve been checking our antioxidant capability, however espresso is a magical seed; it’s very powerful to maintain up with how a lot is crammed into that little bean,” mentioned Shaw. “Utilizing ORAC [a method for measuring antioxidant capacity], we discover that our espresso doesn’t sustain with standard espresso, which is without doubt one of the causes we add the grape pores and skin extract. Grapes and the pores and skin and seeds have so many antioxidants, and we all know how essential these elements in espresso are to some people, so we attempt to cowl all of them.”
Atomo’s pure caffeine extract, in the meantime, comes from inexperienced tea. Is that this considerably ironic given {that a} extra apparent supply would have been, nicely, espresso?
“We need to be sure that once we say it’s espresso with no beans, that’s clear and unambiguous. On the similar time, our focus right here is on espresso that we will all proceed to take pleasure in sooner or later. So, would we rule out sooner or later taking caffeine from the cascara or from caffeine extracted within the decaffeination course of? No, probably not,” Shaw mentioned.
Traditionally, espresso has solely ever been cultivated for the seeds, leaving the fruit of the espresso cherry, often known as the cascara, as a by-product. Researchers in Indonesia estimate that between 40 and 45% of the espresso fruit goes to waste despite the fact that it accommodates doubtlessly helpful compounds, akin to polyphenols and caffeine, making it an fascinating goal for upcycling.
“In the end, whenever you do these sustainability analyses, if it means we aren’t actually contributing to any damaging practices, then I’d say there’s an openness to [using cascara]. However, definitely firstly, we need to hold the message clear: that is espresso with no espresso in it in any respect.”
As for the way its ‘molecular espresso’ is definitely made, the core of Atomo’s manufacturing course of is similar to that of standard espresso, Shaw mentioned. It takes its espresso substances, roasts and grinds them, after which extracts and filters, utilizing solely water as an extraction solvent.
“What’s totally different comes earlier. It comes from recognizing what is analogous between espresso and date or espresso and inulin, and making some tweaks in order that by the point they’re within the roaster, we’ve set them as much as be a lot extra like espresso,” he mentioned.
A extra sustainable brew
In response to the start-up, there are compelling causes to search for a substitute for espresso. Demand for espresso is rising, placing stress on present land assets and fueling deforestation. A 2014 paper cites printed information on espresso land-use change, exhibiting that in practically all nations the place espresso manufacturing is increasing quickly, deforested land is the first supply of latest acreage.
Atomo subsequently positions its espresso as a extra sustainable various. It estimates that its espresso produces 93% fewer carbon emissions and makes use of 94% much less water than standard espresso.
“We don’t anticipate we are going to displace or kill off conventional espresso; we are attempting to be a substitute for assist meet that demand with out inflicting injury. The majority of what we put in our product is upcycled, so we’re not clearing any land to do it, and we’re additionally not including any calls for onto the meals system that aren’t already there. In essence, we’re taking one thing that folks regard as waste,” Shaw mentioned.
