This Valentine’s Day could be all about 3D printed chocolate

Ultra-personalisation is already tipped to be one of the big trends of 2019, and the food industry is no exception. But if you thought this was all about making sure you always get your favourite cheese sandwich in the lunch queue, think bigger. Instead, imagine having your own food created to in front of you by a machine using your own exact specifications.

Based in Dnipro, Ukraine, Flasty has been developing 3D printers for food since 2014.

The machines can create elaborate mini sculptures from dough, cheese, spreads and desserts, but specialise in the art of working with chocolate.

Using a digital design and manufacturing process, the printer slowly builds each shape layer by layer. Print times depend on the ingredients used, as well as the intricacy and size of the design. A iced pattern can take a few minutes, while a larger chocolate figure could take more than half an hour.

The machines will set you back a pricy $1,600, although the company claims that still substantially cheaper than similar machines on the market. Instead, they’re already working with restaurants in Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Portugal, and Estonia — and even pulled in the crowds at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas earlier this month.

​To see more of the machine at work, visit the company’s website here.