The Netherlands’ Fooditive Group, a manufacturer of fermented ingredients, announces a partnership with the US dairy company Leprino Foods Company to commercialize its non-animal casein.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Leprino Foods is the world’s largest mozzarella cheese and lactose producer and a leading supplier of whey protein, micellar casein, and sweet whey.
“Together with Leprino Foods, we are set to transform the food industry”
Under a long-term licensing agreement, Leprino Foods will have exclusive worldwide rights to produce animal-free casein using Fooditive’s precision fermentation technology. It will also have exclusive global rights to market and distribute the novel casein for cheese and non-exclusive rights for all other food applications. According to the companies, the partnership aims to promote sustainability while broadening the scope of innovative food products.
Fooditive CEO Moayad Abushokhedim emphasized the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in the food industry. He said, “By offering high-quality, environmentally friendly proteins, we are paving the way for a more sustainable future and delivering innovative, plant-based alternatives that meet the evolving demands of consumers.”
Alt cheese that melts and stretches
Founded in 2018 in Rotterdam, Fooditive specializes in fermentation technology to develop sustainable and ethical plant-based ingredients for the F&B industry. In addition to fermented casein, the company produces bee-free honey, fat replacers, and a keto-fructose sweetener derived from the side streams of apples and pear processing, which recently launched in the US market.
Fooditive’s fermented protein is an animal-free source of casein that can lead to huge improvements in alt-dairy. Casein, the protein most prevalent in cow’s milk, is responsible for the taste of cheese and its capability to melt, stretch, and bubble.
Fooditive’s innovation is said to be bioidentical to cow-derived casein, providing a sustainable and accessible alternative that promises to meet the demands of both the food industry and consumers.
Abushokhedim added, “Together with Leprino Foods, we are set to transform the food industry and make a lasting impact on the planet.”
Reducing the environmental footprint
Leprino Foods employs over 5,500 people globally and has sales in more than 79 countries. The company operates nine manufacturing facilities across the US, with a tenth expected to open in early 2025.
Its expanding international presence grants access to key global markets, including Leprino Foods UK and Leprino Foods EU Limited, which have plants in Llangefni, Wales; Magheralin, Northern Ireland; and Portlaoise, Republic of Ireland. Leprino Foods owns a manufacturing facility in South America in Tapejara, Brazil. Additionally, the company maintains a sales and culinary innovation hub in Singapore and representative offices in Shanghai, Tokyo, and Dubai.
Mike Durkin, president of Leprino Foods, shared: “By incorporating precision fermentation alongside our conventional dairy production, we will explore how this non-animal casein derived from fermentation will add to our product portfolio.
“This innovation not only can enhance our range but also holds the promise of reducing the environmental footprint across the supply chain, all while maintaining the highest standards of product functionality, quality, taste, and texture.”
