The Protein Brewery was founded in January 2020, resulting from a demerger of BioscienZ, an industrial biotechnology company developing new technologies based on microbial fermentation as a core competence. It was founded in 2010 by Wim de Laat, a molecular scientist with over 30 years’ experience in industrial fermentation. The Series A funding will enable The Protein Brewery to continue its R&D, cover operational costs as well as scaling up production of the Fermotein™ food ingredient. The Protein Brewery has already gained a lot of experience from smaller scale production of Fermotein™.
With Fermotein™, The Protein Brewery is well positioned to enter a €30 billion-plus market for alternative proteins, a market with huge growth potential. Fermotein™ will be available in both wet ‘cake’ product, as well as a dry powder form. The wet product can be used in applications such as meat alternatives or processed meats, while the dry version can be used as a food ingredient for a great variety of products including pasta, bakery products, protein bars, shakes, chocolate and ice cream. Due to the innovative nature, the Fermotein™ product requires regulatory approval for application as a food ingredient. The Protein Brewery is already in the application process for the US and European markets, with regulatory approval anticipated in 2021 in the US and 2022 in Europe.
Fermotein™ production technology comprises a unique combination of The Protein Brewery’s proprietary microorganisms (‘fungi’) combined with a highly cost-effective and easy-to-operate brewing process. This resulted in a food ingredient with an excellent nutritional profile and an amino acid composition similar to conventional meat.
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