planetary’s Post

Is fermentation king in alt proteins? The market seems to think so _________________________________________________________ 🌟 After talking last week about fermentation being the shining star in alt protein, the big story Sonalie and I hit on this week is the $61M Series B announcement from Formo 🧀 Originally known for its precision ferm approach to dairy proteins, the company is now launching an animal-free cream cheese made from "microbial fermentation" using Koji (yup, same one talked about last week with Nosh.bio) across 2k+ German supermarkets This is not just a "plan" to launch commercially; instead, they're already out there now and plan to scale up production, expand ops internationally, and push for net profitability 😍 Love seeing the push for profitability, as it's clear from early players in this space that long-term success means creating a profitable business as early as possible. This isn't software that can scale to the moon and then flip the switch to profitability - this is food ❓ So why does the market seem to love this so much when it seems almost impossible to raise $ for most of the market❓ Just speculating, but I think it's because: 🔵 They're commercializing today - this isn't just an R&D project anymore 🔵 It's not "novel foods" - the trend years ago was to go with novel microorganisms to be different and "defensible" but that comes with major regulatory and commercialization hurdles. Clearly the market is now favoring execution over everything 🔵 Nutrition - Said it before, but biomass fermentation creates products that are high in protein, fiber, essential amino acids, etc etc etc and don't require a lot of processing ⭕ Not sure - I'm not an insider here, so who knows what ultimately made them so different. I'm sure their tech and IP looks interesting, but if I had to guess, the founders and team know how to tell an attractive story and CLOSE. Some call these "soft" skills. I call them essential skills. Nice work Raffael Wohlgensinger Whatever the reasons, we're about to see if a dual precision and biomass ferm company can commercialize and grow the right way, and it'll be great to watch. 💪 For the sake of our food system and planet, I'm rooting for them _________________________________________________________ This week, we also hit on: 🤝🏻 Motif FoodWorks not only settling the patent infringement dispute with Impossible Foods, but selling their heme business to Impossible and then...closing down? $345M of funding and very unclear where it was spent. There will likely be a million sides to the story, but that's a big negative for the space 🍔 Beyond Meat is launching a mycelium product, and Sonalie is NOT convinced this is a good move. I think there's potential, but this discussion is worth a listen 🇪🇺 Positive of the week was that an EU-funded report by agrifood lobbies has recognised the need to eat less meat. Love this, since it's not the normal group pushing for these types of changes!

𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟭. 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 The research report offers a comprehensive overview of the Alternative Protein New Fermentation industry, tracing the evolution of its industry chain and evaluating market dynamics within segments such as Meat and Dairy Products, with a particular focus on Biomass Fermentation and Precision Fermentation. It assesses key companies operating in both developed and developing markets, analyzing advanced technology, patents, and emerging applications within the sector. Regionally, North America and Europe are experiencing steady growth driven by government initiatives and increasing consumer awareness, while Asia-Pacific, notably China, leads globally with strong domestic demand, supportive policies, and robust manufacturing capacities. The Alternative Protein New Fermentation market is segmented by Type and Application, with detailed forecasts provided from 2024 to 2031, offering insights into consumption values by Type and Application in terms of both volume and value. This analysis assists stakeholders in identifying growth opportunities within the Alternative Protein New Fermentation sector. 𝗧𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁. 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗗𝗙: https://lnkd.in/eGjCnsJP *𝗕𝘆 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Biomass Fermentation, Precision Fermentation *𝗕𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Meat, Dairy Products, Other *𝗕𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa *𝗕𝘆 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀: MyFOREST Foods , Quorn Foods, MycoTechnology, Inc., Sophie's BioNutrients, Perfect Day, Motif FoodWorks, Nature's Fynd, Prime Roots, Geb Impact Technology Co. Ltd., Noblegen Inc, Air Protein, The EVERY Company #alternativeprotein #fermentation #biotechnology #foodtech #proteinproduction #cellagriculture #bioengineering #sustainablefood #futureoffood #bioprocessing #proteininnovation #cellbasedmeat #culturedmeat #syntheticbiology #foodinnovation #biomanufacturing #foodindustry #proteinengineering #proteinbiotech #foodscience

A fermentation bottleneck still exists for the microbial fermentation sector, according to Swiss biotech Planetary, who is working to optimise protein and fat production with not just ‘overall infrastructure, but correct infrastructure’. Fermentation-derived proteins and fats are increasing in popularity, as businesses turn to microorganisms such as fungi and yeast to replace animal derived ingredients. But the equipment required to develop protein from fungi or dairy proteins from microbes does not come cheap, nor is it always fit for purpose. A ‘fermentation bottleneck’ is hindering the sector, according to start-up Planetary, who wants to unblock the problem and in turn, advance new, more ‘sustainable’ methods of food production. Planetary is not the only company aware of the fermentation bottleneck. According to Synonym Bio, a financing and development company for biomanufacturing infrastructure, appetite for capacity ‘far exceeds supply’. How are fats and proteins made through fermentation? Precision fermentation enables the programming of microorganisms (such as yeast) to produce complex organic molecules, such as protein or fat. The first precision fermentation-derived dairy protein to receive regulatory approval (from the US FDA) was Perfect Day’s whey protein back in 2020. Fats are also being made using precision fermentation processes, including by Melt&Marble in Sweden. Mycoprotein, on the other hand, is made from fungi. Produced via biomass fermentation, the fungi strain is combined with glucose and other nutrients to develop amino acids – the building blocks planetary-s-quest-to-unblock-the-fermentation-bottleneck US-based Synonym estimates that 246 such facilities currently exist in more than 40 countries around the world. This may sound like a lot, and perhaps there isn’t a lack of overall infrastructure in terms of fermentation tanks globally. But there is a lack of the correct infrastructure, Planetary co-founder and CEO David Brandes told FoodNavigator. This means there is a lack of food-specific infrastructure with the correct upstream volumes, downstream equipment, site location and relevant certifications, we were told. Further, facilities today are largely ex-pharmaceutical (precision fermentation has long been used to make nonanimal insulin), meaning they are ‘overpriced, overspec’d and incorrectly sized’, according to Brandes. “Fermentation tank size is a critical consideration, especially for commodity compounds and proteins such as milk or egg proteins. The nature of this bottleneck stems largely from the CAPEX intensity of industrial-scale fermentation facilities.” https://lnkd.in/dVAxqrpf #fermentation #fermentedfood #fermenteddrinks #fermented

Biomass startup Superbrewed Food Inc. has entered a multi-year joint development agreement with dairy giant Fonterra to advance its postbiotic protein technology. The startup claims that its non-genetically modified bacterial biomass boasts 85% protein content and high levels of B vitamins. Superbrewed Food has partnered with Döhler for production and aims to launch products by early 2025. Notably, Superbrewed Food's approach differs from precision fermentation, as it harvests whole microbial biomass rather than engineering microbes to produce specific proteins. The FDA has affirmed the ingredient's GRAS status, and the company is exploring using lactose permeate as a feedstock, potentially creating a circular solution with Fonterra. Superbrewed Food is evaluating new production sites to meet demand through 2027. #cellag #futureoffood #precisionfermentation

Global dairy co-op Fonterra has signed a multi-year joint development agreement with biomass fermentation startup Superbrewed Food to explore the potential of its “postbiotic” ingredient. Under the agreement, Fonterra—which also makes ‘animal-free’ dairy proteins via precision fermentation at Vivici, a startup formed with DSM in 2022—will assess how the protein-packed ingredient might complement its portfolio. It is also exploring using lactose permeate, a byproduct of milk protein production, as a feedstock for Superbrewed Food’s microorganisms, creating a circular solution, says founder and CEO Dr. Bryan Tracy, who has secured TO VC (to.vc) as the lead investor in a series B round he aims to complete this year. #foodtech #biomassfermentation #fermentation #postbiotic Fonterra Superbrewed Food Inc. #alternativeprotein

【精密発酵】#72 精密発酵の2つの業界団体が共同で精密発酵の定義について発信しました😉 これにより精密発酵技術の正しい理解と更なる活用がされると良いなと感じます🫡 従来の発酵との違いや、発酵に使う微生物は除去されるためバイオマス発酵とは異なることなど、他の技術との区別した上で、インスリンやチーズを作る際に使用する酵素レンネットの生産に用いられてきたことが言及されています。 最近の業界の動向についてもまとめられており、非常に勉強になる記事でした📰 【Precision Fermentation】#72 Two industry associations of precision fermentation jointly sent out a definition of precision fermentation 😉 Distinguishing it from conventional fermentation and other techniques such as biomass fermentation, it was mentioned that it has been used to produce insulin's and rennet, an enzyme used in cheese making. The article also summarizes recent industry trends and was very informative 📰 #foodtech #precisionfermentation #PrecisionFermentationAlliance #FoodFermentationEurope #精密発酵 #フードテック https://lnkd.in/g3tjRJWF https://lnkd.in/g3tjRJWF

I am hopeful about this avenue of research. It would be preferable I think for cheap protein to be produced by single cell organisms than by factory farmed animals. "Sustainable food security implies physical and economic access to food for all. This requires greater efforts directed at food production and distribution as well as improving the living standards of the people. In the West, interest in healthy diets and novelty food is helping to drive a new interest in SCP. The forms in which SCP may be consumed are continuing to evolve. The chemical composition of any SCP product must be characterized clearly in terms of percentage protein, type of amino acids, nucleic acid, lipids, fats, toxins, and vitamins. A microbiological description indicating species, strains, and percentage of contaminants, if any, should be indicated. Final products for human consumption must be made to undergo rigorous testing during the pre-marketing stage and obtain novel food approval. Possible toxic compounds must be assayed for and removed. It is of primary importance that SCP products are safe to eat and also inexpensive to be popular among the masses. Further, genetically improved, high-yielding, and non-pathogenic microbes can be grown for SCP production. We should therefore look forward to extensive use of value-added SCP products in the new millennium and the eradication of chronic malnutrition globally by bridging the gap between demand and supply with SCP, which can also be a solution in a global agricultural crisis221,222, and having a broad range of food products that incorporate SCP should encourage further expansion of the market." https://lnkd.in/d98RHhzm

Synthetic Biology, or Precision Fermentation to be consumer friendly, needs yet to get a fully relevant business model. "There is a lack of food-specific infrastructure with the correct upstream volumes, downstream equipment, site location and relevant certifications" "Further, facilities today are largely ex-pharmaceutical (precision fermentation has long been used to make non-animal insulin), meaning they are ‘overpriced, overspec’d and incorrectly sized’" "The market potential of precision-fermentation derived proteins has yet to be truly tested at scale, particularly in Europe where such proteins have not received pre-market approval from EFSA" #syntheticbiology #precisionfermentation #trl #marketaccess

We love to see other people using upcycled natural ingredients to produce innovative food products. Naylor Nutrition understands that the food industry is calling out for: - Clean label ingredients - Allergen-free products - True & transparent sustainability practices - Superior nutrition - Excellent functional properties - ZERO waste It's important that we don't see these needs as exclusive to meat alternatives, as these problems are present across multiple categories. What's clear though, is the solution to these issues can come from plant-based ingredients, regardless of the category. #regenerativeagriculture #cabbage #truesusainability #functionalfood #zerowaste #nutrition #allergenfree