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Australian “super chocolate” with low GI sugar and high in anti-oxidantsA new cocoa growing and processing industry is being created in Australia – with the support of NZ know-how and moneyEarly next year farmers in Mossman in Far North Queensland will harvest Australia’s first commercial cocoa crop. A few months later the first 100% Australian chocolate will be on the market. Horizon Science’s 100% owned subsidiary, Cocoa Australia Pty Ltd – the people behind the initiative – are planning to transform the world of cocoa production and create an integrated business from plantation to consumer. Already, they are selling premium wine chocolates under the Cocoa Farm brand, produced with increased antioxidants from grape seeds and skin. In the future they will be looking to specialist chocolates made with Wholemeal Sugar ™ which has a low GI and rich in sugar cane and cocoa antioxidants and other beneficial bioactive compounds. “Cocoa farming has always been seen as too labour intensive for Australia,” says Horizon founding partner and chief operating officer, Dr Barry Kitchen. “We’re challenging that. With good science and innovative horticultural practices we believe we can significantly improve yields in our commercial plantations, and this, together with our total supply chain business model, make cocoa growing and processing a viable and vibrant new industry in Australia..” And Barry has some other tricks up his sleeve to make the enterprise even more profitable. “Seventy five percent of the cocoa pod is thrown away in conventional processing. But the pod is actually packed with bioactive compounds that we plan to harvest as a byproduct.” The end-product will be a series of premium chocolate products – enhanced through breeding and processing to increase the concentration and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. HortResearch New Zealand will be helping. “They have vast horticultural research experience – especially in developing the kiwifruit industry. We believe that their knowledge of breeding, harvesting, and processing foods will be invaluable,” says Barry One of the first challenges is to identify cocoa plants that tolerate lower temperatures. “We won’t be seeing cocoa plantations on the Gold Coast says Barry, “But we hope to push the productive growing range far south as Mackay and west to the Atherton Tablelands .” “We are also looking for cocoa varieties that are naturally high in polyphenols and that can tolerate reduced water requirements.” And while the crop improves, Horizon will also be working on the microbiology of cocoa fermentation – it’s a fermented product, a fact that few people realize. So Australia’s and New Zealand’s dairy and brewing expertise will be invaluable. Horizon already has patented fermentation technology that will be commercialized during 2008. Finally, the company plans to use low GI sugar ( Wholemeal Sugar™)–a product developed by Horizon scientists retaining parts of the sugar cane that are usually thrown away. But that’s another story. “This is smart biotechnology at work,” says Andrew Kelly, from BioPacific Ventures – one of Australasia’s largest life science venture capital funds, and a backer of Horizon. “Australia and New Zealand can succeed in building biotechnology businesses” he says. “We just need to play to our advantages – choosing fields where we already have leadership –for example in food.” Horizon Science is one of nine investments by BioPacific Ventures since they opened for business in 2005. The Fund invests exclusively in life sciences across Australia and New Zealand, with a principal focus on the areas where the food and health sectors converge. Andrew Kelly will be at AusBiotech 2007 – Australia’s annual biotechnology conference – from 21 to 24 October in Brisbane, looking for new opportunities in Australian and New Zealand biotechnology. About Horizon ScienceHorizon Science Pty Ltd is a private biotechnology company focusing on R&D, IP development and commercialisation of innovative functional food ingredients, spanning the sugar, chocolate and dairy industries. The company was founded by well known figures in the Australian biotechnology and food industries, Dr David Kannar, Dr Barry Kitchen, and Ross Dobinson. Successful products developed and patented by Horizon Science include Cocoa Farm brand Wine Chocolate, recently launched in Australia by Farm by Nature Pty Ltd. Hailed as a world first, the chocolates containing real Australian Vintage wine, are high in natural wine and cocoa antioxidants and polyphenols and were recently awarded two silver medals at the Harrogate Fine Foods Show in the UK, Silver and Bronze Medals at the Royal Melbourne Show, and Best in Show, as well as the Confectionery Category winner, at the Australian Food Innovation Awards. About BioPacificVenturesBioPacificVentures, one of Australasia’s largest life science venture capital funds, was launched in March 2005. The A$100 million fund brings together several major players: New Zealand’s premier venture capital firm Direct Capital; AgResearch, the largest government research organisation in New Zealand; and inventages Venture Capital Inc, one of the biggest life science investors world-wide, with over €2 billion under management. PGG-Wrightson, one of Australasia’s premier agribusinesses, and Nestlé, the world’s biggest food company, are the largest investors. BioPacificVentures invests exclusively in life sciences across Australia and New Zealand, with a principal focus on the areas where the food and health sectors converge. (www.biopacificventures.com) About New Zealand Trade and EnterpriseNew Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand government’s national economic development agency. Through its global network of offices, NZTE provides businesses, organisations and investors with access to quality New Zealand goods and services and a gateway to partnerships with New Zealand businesses and investment opportunities in New Zealand. www.newzealand.com For more information contact:
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