What exactly is coffee? Is it a bean, a drink, a plant, or perhaps an experience? This morning essential lacks a definitive identity. However, Andy Kleitsch and Jarret Stopforth from the startup Atomo Coffee — both passionate coffee enthusiasts — argue that coffee encompasses more than just beans. “Coffee is an experience,” stated Stopforth, the company’s chief science officer, in an interview with Food Dive. “It’s a ritual, a routine, and something to enjoy. It’s the world’s most popular drug and your favorite nootropic.”
Currently, coffee is produced from beans. A study conducted by Britain’s Royal Botanical Gardens and published in Science Advances reveals that 60% of global coffee species face extinction due to climate change. Thirteen species, including Arabica, the most widely used coffee source, are categorized as critically endangered.
In response to these challenges, Atomo, under the guidance of Stopforth and Kleitsch, a self-described “serial entrepreneur,” is striving to preserve the coffee experience, even as traditional beans face peril. The company is innovating coffee from a chemical perspective: analyzing the beverage’s components, combining those that enhance coffee’s appeal, and creating a familiar delivery format for coffee drinkers. The startup is currently running a Kickstarter campaign and aims to launch its product by the end of this year.
Stopforth noted that coffee comprises thousands of compounds, but what consumers recognize as coffee typically involves taste, mouthfeel, and aroma. Atomo aims to optimize these components to replicate these characteristics and produce a product that is chemically similar to traditional coffee — but potentially tastier. A crucial distinction is that this drink won’t be made from roasted coffee beans.
Atomo is collaborating with experts from Nestlé and Mattson, a food innovation firm, to reverse-engineer coffee. They have developed a prototype that Kleitsch and Stopforth claim is smoother and less bitter. While they have emphasized this taste profile in their promotional materials, Kleitsch revealed to Food Dive that this flavor was a “happy accident” rather than an original goal. During a brewing session in Stopforth’s garage, his wife sampled a batch devoid of chlorogenic acid — a naturally occurring compound in coffee that contributes to its bitterness but also provides various health benefits. She remarked that the coffee tasted like what all coffee should be.
“We then shared it with more friends, asking, ‘How do you like this coffee?’” Kleitsch recounted. “It turned out that since 68% of people mask bitterness with cream and sugar, when we offered them a less bitter cup, they preferred it.”
Eliminating chlorogenic acid isn’t the only scientific endeavor Atomo is undertaking to reinvent the classic beverage they label as molecular coffee — a term Kleitsch admits they enjoy as science enthusiasts but might reconsider based on consumer feedback. Currently focusing on liquid prototypes, they plan to develop something akin to coffee grounds to maintain the traditional coffee-making ritual.
Stopforth emphasized Atomo’s commitment to sustainability, stating the company aims to upcycle materials that would otherwise go to waste to create these grounds. They are currently exploring options like sunflower seed husks or watermelon seeds but have yet to make a final decision. “There are endless possibilities for us to upcycle as part of this: to create exceptional coffee and ensure sustainability,” Stopforth explained. “I want to stress that our mission is to make great-tasting coffee. It’s not just about saving the environment; it’s about crafting better coffee that is sustainable, scalable, and viable for the next 500 years.”
Kleitsch and Stopforth believe that the high quality of their product will encourage consumers to switch from traditional beans to Atomo’s grounds. Initial taste tests have shown promising results. A majority of students at the University of Washington, where Kleitsch serves on the entrepreneurship program board, preferred Atomo’s coffee. Furthermore, Kleitsch mentioned that the flavor profile is expected to improve over time. Atomo anticipates eventually offering various coffee types that mimic the tastes of Ethiopian, Colombian, and Kenyan beans.
The college students involved in the taste test were receptive to a sustainable coffee product made possible through food science, indicating a positive future for this type of innovation, according to Kleitsch. The sustainability challenges associated with coffee — including the extensive supply chain, ecological concerns regarding cultivation, and the treatment of workers involved in harvesting — compound the environmental threats facing many coffee plant varieties. Stopforth and Kleitsch reflected that Atomo originated from Stopforth’s conflicting feelings about coffee.
“I love coffee, but it often disappoints me,” Stopforth confessed. “I want it to be reliable, consistent, and ethically sound when I enjoy it.” He added, “Don’t see us as mere good Samaritans trying to save the planet. While that is part of it, we’re not here to eliminate coffee from people’s lives or to discourage bean consumption. We’re offering an alternative — a choice.”
Incorporating elements like calcium citrate and sprouts into their product could further enhance its appeal and nutritional profile, demonstrating Atomo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the coffee industry.