Swiss supermarket chain Coop has partnered with Austria’s Kern Tec and Swiss dairy manufacturer Emmi Group to develop a milk alternative made from apricot kernels.
The Karma Kernel Apricot Drink is said to have a similar taste to almond milk, since apricots and almonds are related. It helps to prevent food waste and reduce carbon emissions by making use of European apricot pits produced as a byproduct of fruit processing.
The drink is free of gluten and lactose, has no added sugar, and is enriched with calcium and vitamins. It is now available at Coop stores across Switzerland.
Coop also offers whole apricot kernels as a snack food, along with a chocolate spread made from apricot kernels. Both products are sold under the chain’s Karma brand.
Sustainable dairy alternatives
Kern Tec’s technology involves separating apricot seeds from their skin and reducing their hydrogen cyanide content to avoid toxicity. The seeds are made into oils, which can then be formed into a base compound for plant-based dairy alternatives.
The company manufactures products for other businesses, as well as under its own brand, Wunderkern. After launching at BILLA’s vegan superstore in Vienna in 2022, Wunderkern’s milk alternative became the store’s top-selling product. The brand also recently developed a cheese alternative.
In September of last year, Kern Tec raised €12 million in what was claimed to be the largest ever Series A raise for an Austrian food tech company. Shortly afterwards, Kern Tec partnered with leading German dairy producer Bauer to develop a range of dairy alternatives made from apricot kernels under the newly formed ZUM GLÜCK! brand.
“This investment will accelerate our global scaling capabilities and enable more products to the market that are derived from valuable stone fruit seeds,” said Luca Fichtinger, co-founder and managing director at Kern Tec, following the funding round. “This will scale our impact of reducing waste, whilst unlocking further growth in the plant-based dairy industry.”
