Krokos Bio uses advanced plant cell culture bioreactors to produce high‑value botanical ingredients without traditional farming. By cultivating plant cells 24/7, they create a climate‑proof, cost‑effective, and sustainable supply chain that retains the full spectrum of natural compounds. Their initial product is a food‑grade saffron powder that matches the color, flavor, and fragrance of traditional saffron while offering lower cost and reliable availability.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Supply chains for rare botanical ingredients such as saffron and vanilla suffer from unpredictable yields, inconsistent quality, high prices, and vulnerability to climate events and geopolitical instability, making reliable sourcing difficult for manufacturers.
Solution
Krokos Bio applies modern plant cell culture (PCC) in bioreactors to grow plant cells continuously, producing food‑grade botanical powders that match the color, flavor, and fragrance of traditional crops. By eliminating dependence on farmland, weather, and harvest cycles, the platform delivers a climate‑proof, cost‑effective, and sustainable production method. The resulting ingredients retain the full spectrum of natural compounds, offering quality comparable to whole‑plant extracts while reducing land, water, and labor requirements. Krokos Bio’s first product is a saffron powder with lower cost and a stable supply, positioned to replace conventional saffron in food and related applications.
Target Audience
Primary customers are food manufacturers, ingredient distributors, and specialty product developers that require consistent, high‑quality botanical extracts such as saffron for culinary or nutraceutical applications.
Features
- Continuous 24/7 cultivation of plant cells in controlled bioreactors, removing seasonal and geographic constraints
- Scalable PCC platform that can be adapted to a wide range of high‑value botanicals beyond saffron
- Production process uses a fraction of the land and water compared to traditional farming, enhancing sustainability
- Food‑grade output retains the full spectrum of natural flavor, aroma, and bioactive compounds for true‑to‑nature quality
- Cost‑effective manufacturing yields positive unit economics, enabling lower pricing for premium ingredients