Cargill Wins Edison Awards for Cocoa Alternative, AI Yield System

WAYZATA, Minn. — Two Cargill innovations have been named 2026 Edison Award winners in the Consumer Food Innovations and Sustainable Industry Solutions categories.

NextCoa, a confectionery alternative to chocolate that uses plant-based ingredients to deliver a chocolate-like taste and experience without cocoa, took gold. The product was developed through a partnership between Cargill and manufacturer Voyage Foods.

© Cargill

“Partnering with Cargill, a leader in the food industry, is the perfect way to scale our solutions globally so food manufacturers can integrate non-cocoa confectionery alternatives into their portfolios,” said Adam Maxwell, CEO and founder, Voyage Foods. “Together, we’re amplifying our impact on people and the planet.”

CarVe, an AI-powered computer vision system that helps production teams recover more meat from animals, won bronze. By measuring red meat yield in real time, CarVe enables teams to improve beef cutting precision, reduce food waste and increase efficiency across protein operations, said Cargill.

The awards, named after inventor Thomas Edison, recognize solutions that improve efficiency, reduce waste and expand consumer options across the food system. Winners are selected based on concept, value and impact by a panel of peers across industry, academia and innovation sectors. This marks the fourth consecutive year Cargill’s products have been named among the winners.

“By combining deep food expertise with innovation and new technologies, we are reimagining how food is made at scale,” said Florian Schattenmann, chief technology officer, Cargill. “This recognition reflects the talent of our teams and the meaningful progress we’re delivering with our partners and customers.”