To set the scene, I asked Udi how the company started. “I was seeking a crop that was native and acclimatised to the Mediterranean region,” he said. “It was important to identify a nutritious superfruit that positively impacts the world’s food security challenges."
"Ancient carob has been overlooked as a novel nutrition source for centuries, so it was just waiting to be tapped. Essentially, carob was hiding in plain sight and we were obsessively curious about it."
KSR: Tell me about CarobWay’s mission
UA: With a vision toward the future, CarobWay is on a quest to grow highly nutritious crops that can thrive during climate change. Our strategy — from the orchard to the table — is to deliver branded ingredients with real benefits, which are backed by research and have a minimal ecological footprint.
KSR: Is there a demand for carob-based ingredients in the market?
UA: Although demand for carob has been growing at 5–7% CAGR in the past few years, overall yields are estimated to grow by only 1%. This demand has been triggered by the rising need for LBG — locust bean gum — properties such as a unique texture, the ability to stabilise (plant) proteins, mouthfeel and melting resistance.
The main industry driver was the increased interest in dairy products, such as ice cream, and beverage applications, along with the introduction of new segments including egg replacers and dairy alternatives, to name a few.
To secure a reliable source, CarobWay established full control of the supply chain from farm to fork. We created this business model by relying on our long-term business relationships with growers and food companies, supported by fair-trade practices.
KSR: Tell me a bit about your products
UA: CarobWay is developing all-natural, clean-label bioactive ingredients from the whole carob. The fruit pods are made up of about 90% pulp and 10% seeds by weight. We succeeded in using 100% of the fruit to produce our products with zero waste! CarobWay has developed a sweetener with a low glycaemic index and a prebiotic ingredient that’s rich in fibre and polyphenols — all with a focus on wellness.
KSR: How do you achieve sustainable carob production?
UA: At CarobWay, we’ve embraced the circular economy, which tackles global challenges such the effects of climate change, the loss of biodiversity and excessive waste. Our strategy was to take a deep dive into everything carob.
We set out to identify a crop that is climate resilient — one that uses minimal water and is easy to cultivate — and carob fits the bill perfectly.
We now plant, grow, nurture and harvest the carob trees using advanced agricultural technologies … and have learned exactly what they need to thrive. We strive to raise the trees more intensively and efficiently. Most carob trees are grown in forests.
Orchard cultivation and harvesting require intensive human intervention. We optimise the process — from seedling through to crop picking — using less labour, refined irrigation and mechanical harvesting.
As a huge bonus, we discovered that carob trees naturally feed on carbon dioxide and transform these environmental emissions into nutritious protein. As such, the process is not just sustainable, it’s also regenerative.
KSR: Tell me how you manage ethical fair trade with farmers?
UA: CarobWay employs community farmers, recruits local talent and pursues long-term partnerships. The company is committed to practices that benefit all supply chain participants. Our farming partners grow the carob varieties that we have developed according to a highly competitive 10-year business agreement.
The growers are protected for the duration of the cultivation period and CarobWay is obligated to purchase all of their carob yield.
CarobWay approaches the entire carob cultivation and business with complete transparency. We are establishing a sustainable business that benefits the farmers who have struggled to grow profitable crops.
We are reintroducing hope while nourishing the planet.
KSR: What is exciting to you in this space and how do you see your business growing and diversifying?
UA: I know the food and supplement industries inside out. But, to create sustainable carob product lines, I had to learn from scratch how to cultivate carob trees sustainably. I hired top experts in the field and, together, we researched how to take this resilient crop to the next level — while minimising resources such as water and labour — with a much-reduced footprint.
It’s been a thrill to plant 120,000 trees thus far, which continues across multiple farms, with the goal of reaching 500,000 trees within the next few years. We are accomplishing this while building long-term win-win partnerships with the farmers.
What’s more, the trees being cultivated are the ideal carob variety; they produce the most nutritious crop that offers the best sweetness characteristics. But, we’ve only just scratched the surface in terms of understanding how carob ingredients can feed Earth’s inhabitants and promote wellness.
KSR: What did you highlight at Vitafoods Europe?
UA: CarobWay featured its low glycaemic index, clean-label sweetener and fibre- and polyphenol-rich prebiotic — ingredients that have numerous applications (as our tastings showed). The new delivery systems that we are developing for prebiotics give consumers natural, tasty platforms.
Our Vitafoods booth also drew attention because of the carob-sweetened chocolate on offer, as well as a nutrition bar that was fortified with prebiotic carob powder for gut health. And, to highlight our all-natural CarobWay sweetener, we served fresh carob-sweetened iced tea.
