Using a bioreactor designed for cellular agriculture, researchers at Technical Research Center (VTT) in Finland—a country that consumes the most coffee per capita in the world—brewed a batch from cultured cells derived from the leaves of coffee plants for the first time, writes Heiko Rischer, the project’s lead researcher, in a VTT statement.

“In terms of smell and taste, our trained sensory panel and analytical examination found the profile of the brew to bear similarity to ordinary coffee,” Rischer tells Gaynor Selby of Food Ingredients First. “However, coffee making is an art and involves iterative optimization under the supervision of specialists with dedicated equipment. Our work marks the basis for such work.”

This development bodes well for the planet and the coffee industry, both of which are reeling from the strain of a high-octane obsession with the beverage—the third-most consumed drink in the world, behind tea and water. Coffee growers are finding it difficult to keep up with current global demand—about 22 billion pounds are produced each year—which places more strain on the climate due to deforestation to make way increased agriculture.