The field of oleogels has advanced significantly in recent years, offering a promising alternative to conventional fat systems in food applications. Edible oleogel systems present an opportunity to reduce saturated fat content in chocolates and replace cocoa butter, its substitutes, and milk fat, providing both health and sustainability benefits. However, despite strong research interest, a disconnect between lab-scale studies and large-scale industrial adoption has prevented widespread commercialization.

Oleogels are semi-solid materials in which liquid oils are structured by oleogelators, which can be broadly classified into low molecular weight oleogelators (e.g., lecithin, fatty acids, waxes, sterols, sterol esters) and high molecular weight oleogelators (e.g., proteins such as canola protein, pea protein, or polysaccharides like pectin, alginates, starch). Various production methods also exist, including direct incorporation methods (hot and cold processing) and indirect methods utilizing water or other solvents. These variations present a wide array of oleogel production possibilities, but also pose challenges when selecting the most practical approach for industrial use.

Unlike conventional fats such as cocoa butter, milk fat, and palm oil, oleogels behave differently in key manufacturing processes like tempering, aeration, and emulsification. Since existing food processing infrastructure is optimized for traditional fats, integrating oleogels requires process adaptations that may involve significant investment. Additionally, limited availability of commonly used oleogelators (e.g., sunflower wax, beeswax) presents a major bottleneck for large-scale production.

To bridge this gap between research and commercial applications, we are seeking experts with experience in scaling oleogel production from the lab to full-scale manufacturing. This experience does not need to be food-specific—experts from cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industries where oleogels have been successfully manufactured at scale are encouraged to apply.