POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Popular Chocolate Brands Not Secretly Switching to Lab
The Claim In the lead-up to the Halloween season, a viral rumor circulated across social media platforms and alternative blogs alleging that major confectionery giants—including Hershey, Lindt, and...
The Claim
In the lead-up to the Halloween season, a viral rumor circulated across social media platforms and alternative blogs alleging that major confectionery giants—including Hershey, Lindt, and Mars—have secretly transitioned their production from traditional cocoa beans to ‘lab-grown’ chocolate (also known as cell-based or cultured chocolate). The claim was propelled by a popular social media video, such as those from user Julian Youhana, and various holistic lifestyle blogs, asserting that these corporations are spending billions on biotech startups to pull off a ‘massive corporate bait-and-switch’ to flood retail shelves with synthetic alternatives.
The narrative suggests that consumers are being misled into buying products that no longer contain real cacao derived from chocolate trees. These claims gained traction by leveraging existing negative sentiments regarding climate change, with some sources claiming that climate change is a ‘hoax’ and that corporations are using it as justification to replace natural ingredients with ‘lab experiments.’
The Details & Investigation
Our investigation into these claims reveals a significant lack of primary evidence to support the assertion that any major brand is currently using lab-grown cocoa in its consumer products. The rumor appears to originate from investment advice columns and alternative blogs that fail to provide verifiable sources or internal documentation. When PolicyWire contacted the specific companies mentioned, the responses were definitive. Hershey stated via email and its official FAQ that it has ‘no active research and development or product commercialization work on cocoa substitutes, such as lab-grown cocoa or alternatives, underway or planned in the future.’ Similarly, Nestlé and Ferrero confirmed they are not using lab-grown cocoa in their products.
Furthermore, while some companies have acknowledged interest in the technology, this is distinct from active-scale commercial use. For instance, Lindt & Sprüngli confirmed an investment in a Swiss company called Food Brewer, which researches cocoa based on plant cell cultures. However, the company explicitly stated this collaboration is at an ‘early stage’ and that traditional chocolate made from natural cocoa beans will remain at the heart of their portfolio. Nestlé produces a product called ‘ChocoCrossies’ in Europe, but investigation shows these are made from sunflower seeds—an entirely different process from cell-based cocoa.
Based on these findings, the viral claim is categorized as DISINFORMATION. While the technology for cell-based chocolate exists in a research capacity, the claim that these brands have ‘quietly’ switched their entire product lines is a deliberate deception. The narrative purposefully uses coordinated ‘bait-and-switch’ rhetoric to incite fear without providing any evidence of actual ingredient changes. The companies involved are focused on traditional sustainability initiatives, such as Hershey’s ‘Cocoa For Good’ strategy, which aims to improve farmer livelihoods and protect environments, rather than replacing the cacao bean entirely.
The Verdict
The claim that popular chocolate brands like Hershey, Lindt, and Mars have switched to using lab-grown chocolate is FALSE. There is no evidence that any product currently available on retail shelves contains lab-grown cocoa. While some brands are investing in early-stage research or plant-based alternatives (like sunflower seeds), the primary ingredient for these brands remains traditional cocoa sourced from cacao trees.
em>Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
