MeliBio, a pioneering company in the production of bee-free honey, today announces a strategic collaboration with Pow.Bio to escalate precision fermentation capabilities.
This partnership is set to further innovate the production of high-value bee proteins and enzymes, targeting the expansive global market for functional food ingredients.
“We’re ready to take our technology to the next stage”
The collaboration leverages Pow.Bio’s expertise in both traditional and innovative continuous fermentation technology, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize the fermentation process. This technological advancement is expected to commence this month, marking a critical phase in MeliBio’s scale-up efforts.
MeliBio is at the forefront of creating honey products that do not rely on bees, thereby addressing the environmental impact on bee populations and promoting biodiversity. The company’s R&D team has completed initial proof of concept work, demonstrating the viability of producing target proteins and enzymes through fermentation. The scale-up process, to be undertaken with Pow.Bio in the San Francisco Bay Area, aims to broaden MeliBio’s product portfolio, enhancing the functionality of its offerings beyond current market standards.
Dr. Aaron Schaller, chief technology officer and co-founder of MeliBio, commented on the importance of precision fermentation in achieving the company’s long-term technological goals. He stated, “Working with cutting-edge science, particularly that aided by precision fermentation, has always been part of our long-term technological vision at MeliBio.
“Our ability to produce target bee proteins and enzymes through our experimental methods has yielded promising results, and we’re ready to take our technology to the next stage. This initiative will help us elevate the functionality of our products to come, and provide more of the benefits of bee-derived honey to current products, while also matching authenticity beyond taste and texture.”
Meeting demand with sustainable alternatives
The company’s enhanced fermentation technologies are anticipated to play a significant role in meeting the demand for sustainable and high-quality alternatives to traditional honey. MeliBio’s products, marketed under the Mellody brand in the US and through partnerships in the EU and UK, have already received recognition for their authentic taste and texture that closely matches that of bee-derived honey. Just last week, the company launched a Spicy Habanero version of its honey, joining Mellody’s inaugural product, Golden Clover Plant-Based Honey, which was launched last year.
Darko Mandich, CEO and co-founder of MeliBio, noted, “We’ve enjoyed a fantastic market response to our plant-based honey products and will continue to serve that demand. Beyond that, accessing levels of product performance and authenticity not possible through plant science alone, through our enhanced technology platform, opens up a variety of significant commercial opportunities.”
