Dairy co-op Fonterra is partnering with alternative protein startup, Superbrewed Food, to develop functional biomass protein from Fonterra’s lactose, creating more value from milk.
The alternative protein market is becoming an increasingly popular area for investment, driven by health and sustainability awareness – with statistics from Deloitte showing the market is worth US$14 billion and has a growth rate of 10 per cent. Australia is lagging behind, but it seems that New Zealand-based Fonterra is taking steps to stay ahead of the curve.
Formerly known as White Dog Labs, Superbrewed Food is a Delaware-based company that uses microbial fermentation to create its patented Postbiotic Cultured Protein ingredient, a non-GMO, allergen-free, nutrient-dense bacteria biomass protein that received FDA approval in March.
Fonterra’s general manager for innovation partnerships, Chris Ireland, said that dairy will always be at the core of the company’s business, and expanding to ingredients produced through emerging technologies can work alongside its dairy products.
“The target protein ingredient is a high protein and non-GMO ingredient that is highly functional. It is suitable for food and beverage applications where Fonterra has a strong customer base and technical capability,” said Ireland.
“Superbrewed’s cutting-edge technology aligns with our mission to provide sustainable, nutritional solutions to the world and respond to global demand.”
Fonterra aims to use its dairy processing, ingredients and applications expertise to further develop and produce Superbrewed’s Postbiotic Cultured Protein, responding to the changing needs of consumers with new types of nutrition.
Superbrewed Food’s CEO, Bryan Tracy, said: “We are excited to be partnering with a company of Fonterra’s stature, as it recognises the value in bringing Postbiotic Cultured Protein to market and is a pivotal step towards expanding our offerings of biomass ingredients that further contribute to sustainable food production.”
