News from IBioIC’s network

Global food systems are entering a period where climate stability can no longer be assumed, and few commodities illustrate that shift more clearly than cocoa. In the UK, chocolate prices have risen sharply, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a 17.5% year-on-year increase in October 2025. An immediate opportunity may lie in making better use of what already exists. During processing, cocoa beans are separated from shells and husks, which are produced in large volumes and typically used in low-value applications such as compost or mulch, despite still containing useful flavour compounds. Fermtech’s Koji Cocoa approach builds on this principle by using cocoa by-products already generated within established processing systems.

Scotland’s bioeconomy is often discussed as a future opportunity, yet in Grangemouth, the country’s largest industrial cluster, that future is already beginning to take shape. Following the end of crude oil refining at the site in 2025, Grangemouth is entering a new phase - one that will be defined by how effectively it can adapt its industrial strengths to a changing global landscape.

Sun Bear Biofuture, a UK based biotech startup making sustainable fats and oils from fermentation, has completed its first successful production run using a custom-built pilot plant at less than 10% of the average setup cost.

Firefinch Software publishes practical guidance to help instrumentation companies unlock GMP-regulated markets - and avoid the compliance pitfalls that slow scale-up.

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is looking for a variety of experts to volunteer to join its Governing Board from August 2026 for three years in the first instance.