Aspyre Foods: Revolutionizing Protein Production with Duckweed
South African startup Aspyre Foods is pioneering a transformative platform aimed at converting duckweed into a biofactory for producing two functional food proteins: casein and RuBisCO. With a vision to enhance sustainability and efficiency in food production, the founding team is leveraging this fast-growing plant to develop innovative food solutions.
The Advantages of Duckweed in Protein Production
While many startups are exploring the engineering of various plants to synthesize recombinant dairy proteins through molecular farming, Aspyre Foods cofounder Thomas Bartleman suggests that combining the production of casein and RuBisCO can enhance the economics of the process. “Duckweed grows extremely rapidly and can be harvested continuously, making it an efficient choice,” Bartleman explains to AgFunderNews.
“This plant requires fewer resources, has low water usage, and can thrive in contained environments on non-arable land.” Additionally, as Bartleman notes, duckweed eliminates the need for open field trials—an often lengthy endeavor compounded by regulatory hurdles due to allergens in dairy proteins.
Understanding RuBisCO and Casein Production
RuBisCO is one of the most abundant proteins on Earth and is known for its exceptional functionality that rivals traditional animal proteins like egg and whey protein isolate. Its properties, which include foaming, emulsification, and gelling, make it a valuable ingredient in food products. However, the challenge lies in extracting RuBisCO from vibrant green leaves while maintaining a neutral color and taste that preserves its functionality.
Similarly, recombinant casein production presents its own set of complexities. In mammals, four essential casein proteins come together to form micelles—structures responsible for the desirable textures of products like melty and stretchy cheese. Bartleman indicates that while some firms focus on producing all four casein proteins, Aspyre is concentrating on two specific proteins, utilizing different strains of duckweed for each.
Market Strategy and Vision
When discussing the market opportunity for “animal-free” dairy proteins, Bartleman emphasizes the importance of ensuring a consistent supply amidst a volatile dairy market, targeting functionality at competitive price points. While ethical and environmental considerations are important, they are not the primary focus in discussions with customers, who prioritize reliability and cost-effectiveness in their ingredient sourcing.
Piloting the Future of Protein Production
Aspyre Foods is gearing up for its next phase, having secured funding from various investors, including Nucleus Capital, OneBio, and others. The company aims to launch a seed round later this year or early next year to finance the establishment of a pilot production facility. “Our goal is to have this facility operational by the end of Q3 next year,” states Bartleman.
Already, Aspyre has a functional lab-scale RuBisCO extraction process and satisfactory yields of casein. The current focus is on co-extraction of both proteins, striving for price parity and efficiency. “We aim to optimize the process in South Africa and explore new products in local and African markets, where regulatory processes differ from those in the US and Europe,” he adds.
As Aspyre Foods sets its sights on broader markets, Bartleman acknowledges Asia and the Middle East as potential regions for future growth, emphasizing a thoughtful approach to product development and market entry.
