Formo completes Series B funding round

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Investments & Finance

Formo Raises $61M, Launches Fermented Cheese Alternatives at 2,000+ Stores

Formo, a German producer of fermented cheese alternatives, has raised $61 million in a Series B funding round. The round saw participation from existing investors such as Foodlabs, EQT Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Happiness Capital, Elevat3 Capital, and Grazia Capital. New investors, including Sazaby League, Seven Ventures, Woodline Partners, The Nature Conservancy, and REWE Group, also took part. Formo will use the funding to achieve several objectives, including expanding internationally, diversifying …

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Formo animal-free cream cheese

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Fermentation

METRO Germany Becomes “First” Wholesaler to Sell Formo Animal-Free Cream Cheese

METRO Germany is now offering Frischain, an animal-free cream cheese produced by the German startup Formo. The wholesaler claims to be the first in the world to stock the product. Frischain is made using microfermentation, which produces functional proteins that can be processed using traditional dairy cheese production methods. These proteins are derived from koji, a fungus traditionally used in soy sauce, miso, and sake to break down complex molecules …

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Formo cheese pull

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Fermentation

Small Organisms Instead of Big Cows: Formo Discusses Benefits of Microfermentation to Create Animal-Free Cheese and Eggs

They taste like cheese, but are produced without the milk of cows. They are completely vegan, but have a much higher protein content than their plant-based counterparts. We are talking about Formo products. Formo’s microorganisms can perfectly recreate cow proteins such as whey or casein, or make entirely new proteins. A study published last year regarding consumer demand for animal-free cheese in the UK conducted by Formo in collaboration with …

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Raffael Wohlgensinger and Hille van der Kaa – Image courtesy of Those Vegan Cowboys

Fermentation

Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys Reveal “First-of-its-Kind” Collab to Expedite Production of Cow-Free Cheese

Two precision fermentation companies — Germany’s Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys from Belgium — today announce a strategic R&D alliance to accelerate the production of animal-free casein and finally retire cows from cheese production. This “first-of-its-kind” collaboration will bring together over 60 world-leading scientists to create a “powerful and experienced” research team that will improve technological efficiency, including efforts in strain engineering, bioprocessing, and large-scale production of caseins. The companies …

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Precision fermentation egg products by Formo

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Eggs

Formo to Launch “New Class of Products” With Precision Fermentation Eggs

A peer-reviewed study conducted by Formo in partnership with Singapore Management University has found considerable demand for precision fermentation eggs, as the company prepares to launch what it describes as a “new class of products”. Through its existing protein production platform, which is already used to produce precision fermentation dairy proteins, Formo will use bio-designed microbes to make animal-free eggs. Since fermented proteins have a precedent of consumption in the …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

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Fermentation

Study Finds Animal-Free Cheese Could Capture 33% of Market and Go Mainstream

New research on consumer demand for animal-free cheese in the UK conducted by German precision fermentation company Formo in collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan in Canada reveals promising figures for the nascent category and its capacity to disrupt the dairy industry. The study shows that at price parity, animal-free cheese has the potential to share 33% of the UK cheese market. Moreover, figures suggest that if demand grows and technologies improve, the …

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Animal-free cream cheese

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Cheese

Formo Unveils Animal-Free Cream Cheese Made With Microbes Instead of Milk

German alt dairy producer Formo has developed an animal-free cream cheese made with precision fermentation. “Introducing Frischhain, a fresh and creamy spreadable cheese that’s perfect for elevating your bagels, pasta, and cheesecakes,” said Formo on LinkedIn. “The best bit? It’s made with microbes instead of milk from cows, so guilt-free indulgence is guaranteed!” The cheese takes the total number of products developed by Formo to five. The others are: Le …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

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Cheese

Food Tech Leaders Launch Food Fermentation Europe to Bring Sustainable Animal-Free Foods to EU Market

A group of leading players in precision fermentation announce they have come together to form Food Fermentation Europe (FFE), a new alliance working to create a more resilient and sustainable food system in Europe. Representing the region’s fermentation food and food ingredient sector, along with its surrounding ecosystem, FFE says it will work with regulators to bring more sustainable animal-free foods to the European market.  FFE’s founding members include Better …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

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Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Dutch Government Funds Project to Assess Characteristics of Microbial Proteins 

A Dutch public-private consortium is collaborating on a multi-year project to optimise the processing conditions for different microbial organisms, including microalgae, bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. The project’s aim is to assess which microbial proteins have the functional, economic, and sustainability characteristics needed to create protein-rich ingredients for food applications.  Rianne Ruijschop, Department Head of Health at NIZO and the consortium’s coordinator, explains that the project is divided into four experimental …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

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Fermentation

Study Finds Open-Minded Consumer Attitudes to Animal-Free Dairy

Research published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition has examined consumer attitudes to animal-free dairy. Produced using precision fermentation of microorganisms, animal-free dairy contains proteins identical to those found in conventional dairy products. While fermentation has long been used to produce various animal-free ingredients, the technique is facing growing scrutiny due to its use in alt-protein products. The new research was carried out by Professor Garrett Broad of Rowan University, …

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