An Illinois startup, Savor, is developing a so-called “butter” made without cows, plants, or any form of traditional agriculture — instead, manufacturing it from carbon dioxide pulled from the air and hydrogen extracted from water.
The process copies the molecular structure of natural fats, which are chains of carbon and hydrogen. Savor captures these elements, heats and oxidizes them, and produces a wax-like substance that is then processed into engineered fat molecules. Lecithin, artificial flavorings, colorings, and water are added until the product looks, smells, and tastes like real butter.
Notably, Bill Gates is among Savor’s investors, deepening his already vast footprint in synthetic food and agriculture. Critics warn that replacing natural food sources with lab-engineered substitutes consolidates control of the food supply in the hands of a few powerful tech-backed corporations — and leaves the public as test subjects for unproven products.
Savor has begun partnering with restaurants, bakeries, and food suppliers, even producing chocolate with its lab-grown “butter.” A retail launch is targeted for 2027.
