Australia's Cauldron Ferm announces that the Queensland Government, through its Industry Partnership Program (IPP), will support the development of the Cauldron Bio-fab, a precision fermentation manufacturing facility in Mackay.

Mrs. Julieanne Gilbert (L), Member for Mackay and Assistant Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Industrial Relations and Racing; Michele Stansfield, co-founder and CEO of Cauldron; Belinda Hassen, Candidate for Mackay, and Robin Stinson (R), CFO at Mackay Sugar - Image courtesy of Cauldron

Fermentation

Cauldron Ferm to Develop Asia-Pacific’s Largest Precision Fermentation Facility Following Queensland Government Support

Australia’s Cauldron Ferm announces that the Queensland Government, through its Industry Partnership Program (IPP), will support the development of the ‘Cauldron Bio-fab’, a precision fermentation facility in Mackay. The facility will be the first and largest end-to-end contract manufacturer for bioproducts in Asia-Pacific, with a projected annual output of over 1,000 tons. It will deploy Cauldron’s hyper-fermentation technology for cost-effective and resource-efficient production of alternative proteins and widely used petrochemicals for multiple sectors. Co-founder and CEO Michele Stansfield shares, “We are honored to be receiving support from the Queensland Government to develop our first industrial-scale operations in Mackay. This funding enables us to scale our innovative technology as a major milestone in our journey to redefine the scope of biomanufacturing.” Reaching price parity Cauldron aims to …

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© MISTA

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

MISTA Growth Hack Selects Biomass Fermentation as Key Theme for 2024

A unique collaboration of 14 early-stage food tech startups, eight leading global food companies, and key partners, including Accenture, the Good Food Institute, and SOSV, will be part of the 2024 MISTA Growth Hack. MISTA, a food innovation platform, and a Givaudan entity, aims to bring new sustainable ingredients and technologies to life to feed the planet. This year’s Growth Hack aims to develop integrated, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable foods, beverages, and snacks by enhancing biomass fermentation. This technology grows nutrient-dense microbial cells that can improve the nutritional and sensory performance of foods and beverages. “The food system needs new solutions to feed the 8.5 billion people that will populate the Earth in 2030,” said Céline Schiff-Deb, CSO for MISTA. “Fermentation biomass is an approach …

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ProVeg fermentation technology for new meat

© ProVeg

Fermentation

Fermentation Technology for New Meat

Fermentation has been used in food production and preservation for thousands of years. Today, fermentation is used in the context of meat alternatives in more advanced ways, such as precision fermentation. This cutting-edge method uses microbial hosts like bacteria or yeast to produce specific proteins and other ingredients to create meat alternatives. In its latest New Food Hub article, ProVeg International dives into the future of the fermentation-enabled meat sector, sharing actionable insights for businesses and investors. For companies, the benefits of investment in this space are manifold and early investments in this technology could result in substantial returns. Fermentation technology enables the production of proteins with a reduced environmental footprint but also offers significant opportunities for product customisation. Companies can tailor the nutritional content, …

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Three bottles of animal-free milk

© Eden Brew

Fermentation

Government Support Crucial for Australia to Become a Global Precision Fermentation Leader, Says New CAA Report

The non-profit Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA) has released a new white paper highlighting Australia’s capabilities in producing precision-fermented ingredients and its potential to become a global leader. The country is already home to a precision fermentation ecosystem of startups, established companies, research institutions, mature investors, and manufacturing capabilities. Eden Brew, Daisy Lab (NZ), All G Foods, Eclipse Ingredients, Nourish Ingredients, the ASX-listed company Noumi, and CMDO Cauldron Ferm contribute to making Australia and New Zealand’s precision fermentation sector the largest in Asia-Pacific. These companies focus on producing proteins such as whey and casein for dairy products and bovine lactoferrin, a sought-after whey protein due to its iron content, and fats to improve meat and dairy alternatives. Australia’s strong reputation as a global food supplier, established logistics networks, …

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Zur Mühlen Gruppe makes first alt protein investment

Image: Tönnies Holding ApS & Co. KG

Fermentation

Leading Sausage Producer Zur Mühlen Gruppe Makes Its First Alt Protein Investment in Fermentation Startup Nosh.bio

Zur Mühlen Gruppe (ZMG), a leading German producer of sausages and plant-based alternatives, has made its first ever investment in an alternative protein startup. The company has provided funding to Berlin-based Nosh.bio, which produces nutrient-rich products using fermentation technology and koji mushrooms. The resulting proteins can be used to make meat and fish alternatives, sauces, confectionery, pet food, and more. Following the investment, ZMG will use koji mushrooms to produce a new range of protein-rich meat-free products. The first to be developed are “koji strips”, which can be fried or used in salads. While this is ZMG’s first alt protein investment, the company has been expanding its presence in the plant-based sector for several years under the brand names Gutfried, Vevia 4 You, and Es …

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mycorena whole cut

© Mycorena

Company News

Mycorena Acquired by Biomass Fermentation Firm Naplasol, Member of Animal Protein VEOS Group

After facing significant financial challenges, mycoprotein pioneer Mycorena filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, seeking new ownership to build upon its innovations and market presence. Today, Naplasol, a VEOS group member, announces the acquisition of the Swedish company. Naplasol specializes in biomass fermentation to produce mycoproteins and offers various ingredients for food applications. VEOS Group, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Belgium, is a global leader in the animal protein market with production facilities worldwide. It serves the food, pet, and feed industries and is supported by a global sales network. According to the announcement, Naplasol plans to produce Mycorena’s flagship product, Promyc, at its industrial facility in Bree, Belgium, to enhance its portfolio and offer new sustainable proteins. Wim Slee, co-CEO of VEOS Group, …

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David Weiner, Cauldron Ferm's newly appointed CTO

David Weiner - Image courtesy of Cauldron Ferm

Company News

Cauldron Appoints Biotech Veteran to Spearhead Hyper-Fermentation Solution for Alternative Proteins

Contract manufacturer organization Cauldron Ferm announces the appointment of Solugen and BASF industry veteran David Weiner as new chief technology officer. Drawing on his extensive experience in product development and scaling innovative biotech solutions, Weiner will oversee the company’s technology R&D pipeline as the Australian company embarks on its next phase of global expansion. Cauldron, founded in 2022 in Borenore, New South Wales, has developed a precision fermentation technology that promises to reach price parity — or even cheaper — with current goods such as dairy, egg, and silk proteins and widely used petrochemicals. The company recently closed a Series A funding round of over $6.25 million with investors including SOSV, In-Q-Tel, Main Sequence, and Horizons Ventures. “David brings a distinguished career leading R&D programs that …

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Transport of a process water tank from the Cruise Terminal Altona via the Reeperbahn to Hamburg-Wandsbek

© Ohly

Company News

Ohly to Open State-of-the-Art Fermentation Plant in Hamburg

Ohly, a manufacturer of yeast-based specialities, is opening a new state-of-the-art fermentation plant in Hamburg next year, as consumer and investor interest in fermentation derived products and yeast-based ingredients continue to surge. The new fermentation plant will be built according to the latest hygiene design standards, which guarantee sustainable cleaning, says the company. A key feature of the new plant is the heat recovery system, which conserves and reuses enough thermal energy to supply almost 800 single-family homes each year. “Hamburg is the birthplace of our production. The city not only offers us an excellent infrastructure, but also access to qualified specialists and important markets. With the new fermentation plant, we are not only securing jobs in the region, but also contributing to a more …

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mosa meat logo world burger

© Mosa Meat

Investments & Finance

European Plant-Based, Fermentation & Cell-Cultivated Companies Received €289M in First Half of 2024

European plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cell-cultivated meat and dairy companies secured €289 million in investments during the first half of 2024, according to an analysis of Net Zero Insights data by the Good Food Institute Europe. Notably, companies producing fermentation-derived products raised €164 million — thus surpassing for the first time plant-based, which secured €79 million — including raises in the field of precision fermentation totalling €49 million. In the same period, European investments in cultivated meat reached €45 million, just under half of the total EUR 106 million invested in this sector throughout 2023. Notably, a significant portion of these funds was allocated to scaling up production, with Dutch company Mosa Meat raising €40 million. The German PHW Group, a long-time investor in alternative proteins, …

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The UK Government invests £12M in Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub to cultivate meat at scale

© Mirai Foods

studies-numbers

Survey Explores Swiss Acceptance of Cultivated Meat and Precision Fermentation

On behalf of Swissveg, YouGov recently conducted a representative survey on the acceptance of cultivated meat and precision fermentation derived products in Switzerland. The survey found that flexitarians are most in favour of cultured meat. 47% of meat-reducers would buy such products if they were already available. The new products received the least approval from vegans and vegetarians with only 22%, but essentially, such products are not aimed at vegans and are essentially “real” meat without slaughter. While an average of 30% of respondents to the new Swissveg study would consume cultivated meat, the figure for 15 to 29-year-old Swiss is 46%. In contrast, only 19% of 60- to 79-year-olds would consume cultured meat. Cultivated meat in Switzerland Noteworthy in this context and pertaining to …

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The PHW Group will establish a new subsidiary focusing on traditional and precision fermentation to develop ingredients for alternative products.

© PHW Group

Fermentation

Poultry Giant PHW Enters Precision Fermentation Ingredients With New Subsidiary 

PHW Group, the largest poultry producer in Germany known for the Wiesenhof brand, will establish a new subsidiary later this year, focusing on traditional and precision fermentation to develop ingredients for alternative protein and blended products. The firm, which has invested millions in its plant-based meat brand Green Legend, intends to integrate plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation technologies under its roof to position itself as a critical player in the sector. As part of this expanding strategy, the company launched an ingredients platform in 2023 and recently invested in the Dutch company Mosa Meat, which focuses on cultivated beef and fats. “It is going to be a core technology” Marcus Keitzer, Board Member for Alternative Proteins at the PHW Group, told Cultivated X, “Precision fermentation technology …

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NTU partners with Bunge to develop alternative protein flavors

© NTU

Ingredients

NTU Singapore Partners With Bunge to Develop Alternative Protein Flavors Using Fermentation

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore has announced a partnership with global agribusiness and food company Bunge to produce alternative protein flavors using fermentation. The agreement marks the first successful partnership of the Singapore Agri-food Innovation Lab (SAIL), which is funded by Enterprise Singapore. SAIL works to connect solution providers with multinational corporations in order to enhance the agri-food innovation ecosystem. As part of the partnership, Bunge will supply soybean, canola, and sunflower fats and oils, along with oilseed meal and cake (formed after oil is extracted from seeds). NTU’s Food Science and Technology Programme (FST), led by Professor William Chen, will use these ingredients to develop new flavors for use in alternative proteins and plant-based protein products. To achieve this, the researchers will employ solid-state …

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Governor JB Pritzker of llinois

Governor JB Pritzker ©illinois.gov

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

$51 Million Federal Grant for Precision Fermentation Hub to Drive Innovation, Growth, and Job Creation in Illinois

The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub has secured approximately $51 million in federal funding from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Tech Hubs Program. The grant, which will support significant infrastructure expansions, aims to position Central Illinois as a global leader in biomanufacturing, promoting economic growth, job creation, and national security. The iFAB is supported by Innovate Illinois, a strategic initiative by Governor JB Pritzker and co-chaired by the University of Illinois Chancellor Robert J. Jones. Led by the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, it has secured over $680 million in cash match and strategic investments, demonstrating robust backing from multiple stakeholders. Governor JB Pritzker said, “Thanks to this $51 …

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South Africa’s Immobazyme, a precision fermentation company spin-off from Stellenbosch University, has raised $1.3 million in a recent investment.

© Immobazyme

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

South Africa’s Immobazyme Raises $1.3M to Boost Production of Precision Fermentation-Derived Proteins

South Africa’s Immobazyme, a precision fermentation company spin-off from Stellenbosch University, has raised $1.3 million in a recent investment round led by the University Technology Fund (UTF) with the participation of Innovus (University of Stellenbosch Enterprises). Immobazyme develops high-value proteins for various industries, including cultivated meat. The new capital will support the company’s production expansion, which includes doubling its current facility size and scaling its platform. This round brings its total raised capital to ZAR 24 million. “We’re incredibly grateful to all our investors and partners for recognizing the value and impact of our work. Daniel S., Wayne Stocks, and the rest of the team at The University Technology Fund (UTF), having you in our corner has been paramount to our success. A big thank you …

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Singapore Grants University of Illinois ARCS $14.8M to Launch Precision Fermentation Center

The team led by Professor Yong-Su Jin at the Illinois Advanced Research Center at Singapore (ARCS), an affiliated center of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received a five-year, $14.8 million grant from Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) to establish the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS). According to the announcement, the research at the new center will focus on microbial cell engineering or precision fermentation to convert readily available compounds like sugars into molecules, including alternative proteins, healthy fats, and vitamins. PreFerS aims to improve food supply chain resilience, reduce environmental impacts associated with food production, and address micronutrient deficiency, touted as the hidden hunger. Regarding its broader impact, the project aims to help Singapore achieve its goal of locally producing 30% of …

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Future Cow's co-founder Leonardo Vieira.

© Future Cow

Fermentation

Brazil’s First Precision Fermentation Startup Future Cow Prepares to Scale Up Production of Animal-Free Milk

Future Cow, a Brazilian food tech startup founded in 2023 by entrepreneur Leonardo Vieira and food scientist Rosana Goldbeck, aims to revolutionize dairy production with precision fermentation, creating real milk without cows. Considered Brazil’s first cellular agriculture startup using precision fermentation, Future Cow gained momentum through São Paulo’s Antler residency program, securing a $150,000 initial investment. Soon after, in a funding round led by Antler and Big Idea Ventures as part of the first cohort of the New Protein Fund II, it secured R$2 million (around $410,000) to accelerate its fermentation technology. Recently, the startup was selected for the FoodTech World Cup semi-finals, hosted by FoodHack and Givaudan. It has also been selected to participate in CNPEM’s Deeptech Acceleration Program (PACE), a local initiative that aims to boost …

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Michelin, Danone et al to open precision fermentation plant in France

© Michelin

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Danone to Open Precision Fermentation Center ‘Biotech Open Platform’ in France with Strategic Players

French dairy giant Danone, engineered materials group Michelin, the US startup DMC Biotechnologies, and Crédit Agricole Centre France have partnered to create the Biotech Open Platform. The new center will focus on precision fermentation, a technology pivotal for innovation in agri-food and materials with the potential to address the need for sustainable alternatives to animal and fossil-based products, according to the announcement. Located in the commune of Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne, at the Parc Cataroux Center for Sustainable Materials, an innovation accelerator supported by Michelin, the platform aims to support the development of biosolutions on a larger scale. Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Danone, said: “At Danone, we have always been focused on investing in the future of food, and this partnership is the next step in this …

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Vivici cow logo

© Vivici

Fermentation

7 Fermentation Companies Paving the Whey to a Cow-Free Dairy Industry

Following our recent summary of producers making alternatives to casein protein, below is a roundup of the companies using cutting-edge technology to make whey proteins with microbes; bypassing cheesemaking to retire cows from the dairy business. Whey proteins, derived from the whey or the liquid portion of milk that separates during cheese production, are known for their rapid absorption and high branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which play an essential role in muscle growth and recovery. They have been widely used in the last decades as ingredients in protein powders and bars targeting athletes. Whey proteins include β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, immunoglobulins, bovine serum albumin, bovine lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase. Precision fermentation companies mainly produce a bio-identical version of the most abundant of them, β-lactoglobulin, to craft the next …

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Plantbased Business Hour

Will 90% of Everything Be Made Through Precision Fermentation? Maria Cho, CEO of Triplebar, on The Plantbased Business Hour

Maria Cho, CEO of Triplebar is a guest on The Plantbased Business Hour. She and Elysabeth Alfano discuss the protein supply chain benefits provided by precision fermentation and when scaling will take place. Specifically, they discussed What is Triplebar, and precision fermentation? Why is this a critical pillar in the shift of global food systems transformation? What efficiencies does it allow? What kind of innovation will we see beyond the science? What applications in food will we see? When will this scale and see adoption? What impact will it have on lowering (or raising) the price of protein? We saw precision fermentation having a moment in 2019 with Perfect Day and The Every Company. Is this more advanced, differentiated in some manner? Is this considered clean …

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Brevel cheese

Image supplied by Brevel, credit Eldad Shatz

Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Biomass Fermentation Leader Brevel Inaugurates Commercial Plant for Affordable, Nutritious Microalgae Protein

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup using microalgae protein to create sustainable ingredients, announces the grand opening of its first commercial plant. Last July, the company secured $18.5 million in seed funding led by NevaTeam Partners and backed by the European Union’s EIC Fund, facilitating the current phase of commercial-scale production and global expansion. Located in Israel’s desert periphery, the new site covers 27,000 square feet (2,500m²) and includes headquarters, a large R&D center, and a large commercial manufacturing area. It features multiple bioreactors at different scales: 3, 50, 500 L, and the company’s first 5,000 L bioreactor. At the new site, Brevel can produce hundreds of tons of its flagship ingredient — a 60-70% microalgae protein concentrate for meat and dairy alternatives. The first …

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