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BRIGHT and Novonesis partner to turn waste CO₂ into food-grade protein. DTU's BRIGHT Biofoundry and Novonesis have partnered to engineer yeast strains capable of converting waste CO₂ into protein at industrial scale, using acetate as an intermediate carbon source. The collaboration leverages BRIGHT's automated adaptive laboratory evolution platform to optimize microbial tolerance to acetic acid and improve protein yields, while Novonesis contributes decades of metabolic engineering expertise in recombinant cell factories. Researchers say the approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of 10–100, land use by 100–1,000, and water use by 10–200 compared with conventional protein sources, though commercial viability hinges on closing the cost gap with plant- and animal-derived alternatives. (foodingredientsfirst.com)
Tooru agrees to acquire Dutch plant-based milk appliance maker Mylky for £12 million. London-listed health and wellness firm Tooru PLC has agreed in principle to acquire Mylky BV, a Dutch e-commerce company selling home appliances for making plant-based milks, for £12 million in a combination of cash, loan notes, and new shares. Founded in 2024, Mylky operates across eight European countries with more than 70,000 customers and expects unaudited revenue of €9 million and EBITDA of €3.1 million for the twelve months ending March 2026. The deal, which Tooru described as the first step in a buy-and-build strategy, remains subject to due diligence, financing, and shareholder approval. (proactiveinvestors.co.uk)
Vinpai grows revenue 12% but net losses widen sharply in 2025. Vinpai, a French maker of algae- and plant-based functional ingredients for the food and cosmetics industries, reported 2025 revenue of €10.2 million, up 12% year-on-year, driven largely by a 31% jump in sales across the Middle East–Africa region. Gross margin fell to 39% from 44%, however, and net losses nearly doubled to €4.9 million from €2.9 million in 2024, despite a modest improvement in EBITDA. The company cited strong pricing pressure and an unfavorable market environment, though its backlog rose to €4.1 million, signaling a gradual recovery in the fourth quarter. Vinpai noted that its increasing integration into the CAMLIN Fine Science Ltd group underpins its confidence in near-term commercial momentum. (businesswire.com)
Symrise takes equity stake in Bond Pet Foods to advance microbial fermentation for pet nutrition. Symrise has made a strategic equity investment in Bond Pet Foods, a Boulder, Colorado–based biotechnology company that uses microbial fermentation to produce animal-identical proteins for the pet food industry. The partnership aims to combine Bond's fermentation platform with Symrise's expertise in pet food palatability and nutrition to address supply-chain resilience and growing demand for sustainably sourced ingredients. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. (symrise.com)
Pinnacle Food Group develops methanol-free method for recombinant human lactoferrin production. Pinnacle Food Group Limited, a Nasdaq-listed company based in Vancouver and Hong Kong, announced that its research team has created a first-generation recombinant yeast strain capable of producing human lactoferrin using a patented methanol-free Pichia fermentation method developed through a collaboration with Bioboost. The approach eliminates the need for methanol—a toxic, flammable solvent that requires costly explosion-proof facilities—thereby reducing operational costs and safety risks. The company said the underlying methanol-free platform has already been validated with other protein targets at pilot scale, and it is positioning the technology for commercial-scale manufacturing of high-value biological ingredients for infant nutrition, supplements, and pharmaceutical applications. (sg.finance.yahoo.com)
Solar Foods secures U.S. patent for Solein gas fermentation process. Solar Foods has obtained a U.S. patent for the gas fermentation process used to produce its microbial protein ingredient Solein, granting the Finnish company exclusive rights to manufacture the product using its proprietary microorganism and method in one of the world's largest protein markets. The patent follows similar protections already secured in Europe, Canada, Australia, and China. Solar Foods has begun commercializing Solein in the United States, targeting the health and performance nutrition segment, while its first commercial-scale facility, Factory 01, has been operational since 2024 and a significantly larger Factory 02, with planned annual capacity of 6,400 tons, is expected to receive an investment decision this year. (inderes.fi)