The fermentation startup based in the Netherlands, which is known for producing ‘carbon negative’ protein, is making strides in its development with a €4.8m seed round. This significant funding, co-led by World Fund and Vorwerk Ventures, with participation from Revent, will be used to construct a pilot plant in Amsterdam and continue the process of obtaining regulatory approval.
Using an active voice, Farmless’ Head of Communications, Pepijn Vloemans, shared, “Here we’ll scale up our fermentation process and also setting up a substantial kitchen within the same facility. This space will be our creative playground, where we will play with, ferment and try out new food products — all under one roof. With the funds, we also carefully hire a few extra people and continue the process of regulatory approval. The pilot protein brewery will also enable us to produce a steady stream of samples for product co-development with partners.”
The plan is to maintain efficiency in its protein production process. Farmless states that its protein uses up to 5000 times less land than beef farming. Skipping the inefficient chain of photosynthesis and animal agriculture, the company’s fermentation process relies on a renewable energy source, requiring only a fraction of the land surface that’s needed to create legacy proteins.
The process requires two types of energy. Vloemans explained, “We’ll use energy to power our brewery and for this, we’ll simply rely on certified green energy contracts. Then there’s the alcohol, which is the feedstock for our brewing process. We’ll buy this from selected partners who make it with renewable energy. We expect this renewably made alcohol to become a commodity.”
As for the taste and application of the protein, Vloemans expressed optimism about the protein’s potential regarding water and oil holding capacity, which could be useful for various applications. He emphasized that the goal is to replace several ingredients at once in meat, dairy, and egg successors, improving taste/texture, and cleaning up the ingredient list.
Highlighting the protein’s purpose, Farmless’ founder and CEO, Adnan Oner stated, “If we unlock the protein producing powers of the microbial kingdoms, we can create a future worth getting excited about. We can have an abundant, cruelty-free food supply and rewild the world, restore forests, all while drawing down gigatonnes of CO2 from the air. We’re excited to see that we had overwhelming investor interest in this round.”
The development phase will also see the construction of a pilot plant in Amsterdam. Image Source: Andrey Danilovich/Getty Images
Farmless has made significant progress in the development of its ‘carbon negative’ protein, aiming to revolutionize the food and beverage industry’s trends, sustainability, and innovation. This progress will have a meaningful impact on food manufacturing, distribution, regulations, packaging, marketing, and consumer trends.