Next Gen Palm Oil

This summer Unilever announced the launch of a $120 million venture to scale and commercialize plant-based alternatives to palm oil and fossil-derived cleansing ingredients. Partner in this venture is US-based biotech company Genomatica. “While palm oil will remain an important feedstock to Unilever, these alternative ingredients can play a growing role in diversifying supply chains to drive optionality, sustainability, cost efficiencies and transparency”, their joint press release reads.

Commercial sense
Over the past years, the number of companies developing lab-grown alternatives to palm oil has increased. Investors are eager to put millions of dollars into biotech companies that are on a quest to find technology-driven, plant-based alternatives for an ingredient that meets so many commercial demands. With lab-grown palm oil replicas helping to control costs and supply chain risks it is no surprise that the industry embraces the innovation.

There is a huge market out there and this next gen oil makes commercial sense considering palm oil’s versatility. But what will this development mean for the millions of people depending on palm oil for their livelihood?

Jennifer Kaplan, director sustainability at New York based C16 Biosciences, mentioned during a call that: “It is my aim to find a solution for the planet, not against palm. I…