Alternative Protein

Equinom founder and CEO Gil Shalev says the firm’s naturally-bred yellow peas will have as much as 50% protein content.

AgFunder founding partner Rob Leclerc says his firm’s dedicated alternative protein fund has attracted incumbents from the meat and dairy space who see the fledgling market as ‘a hedge’.

Perfect Day uses fermentation to create animal-free dairy products such as cheese and ice cream to overcome dietary and sustainability challenges.

The 2019 Agri Investor Forum in Chicago was marked by a clear sense of momentum even if an overall direction for the market seemed harder to discern.

Panelists at the Agri Investor Chicago Forum likened the plant protein surge to that of the e-commerce boom, which ultimately transformed the way goods and services are purchased.

Three out of the four ABCD agricultural companies have made strategic investments to take advantage of the alternative protein boom. When will institutional investors catch on?

The company has invested around $325m in plant protein ventures over the last two years, with JV partner PURIS and now Cargill’s Ohio facility the chief beneficiaries of the investments.

The Ferment Fund will exclusively support companies that have been spun out from Ginkgo and will benefit from full access to the company’s platform for cell programming.

Chief scientist Yaakov Nahmias says the start-up’s methodology means it only takes 14 days to produce cultured chicken or beef, whether it is producing 1kg or 1 tonne of meat.

Growth equity fund JMK Consumer Growth Partners has led Series B investment in Miyoko’s Kitchen, a producer of non-dairy vegan cheese and butter alternatives.