Precision fermentation startups Vivici and The Every Company have entered into a strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to “explore the establishment of a 4-million-litre industrial-scale facility for alternative protein production” in the UAE.
“The partnership marks a significant milestone for Abu Dhabi’s AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, which aims to address food security and water scarcity through the application of advanced technologies and international collaboration,” said the ADIO, a UAE government hub that implements public-private partnerships.
“By anchoring a state-of-the-art protein fermentation facility in the emirate, the project will contribute to regional food resilience while expanding Abu Dhabi’s presence in global protein supply chains.”
The plan is to develop a multi-tenanted facility to allow for the future participation of other fermented protein companies, added the ADIO. “In parallel, it will support the creation of a regulatory framework for fermented proteins, establishing clear pathways for commercial approval in the UAE and across the region.”
The partners will also explore opportunities for export to markets across Asia, Africa and Europe, said The Every Co CEO Arturo Elizondo. “EVERY exists to make egg proteins a staple for every food company in the world, without the risks of avian flu, supply shortages, or salmonella. The UAE and wider region stand to benefit tremendously from protein independence.”
Vivici CEO Stephan van Sint Fiet added: “The emirate provides a unique combination of capital, talent and infrastructure that enables rapid growth while ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality.”
The move follows news that Liberation Bioindustries, a US firm specializing in building biomanufacturing capacity, has struck a deal with NEOM Investment Fund to explore building a precision fermentation facility in Saudi Arabia as food security moves up the agenda in the region.
Egg and dairy proteins…without animals
A Dutch startup formed by Fonterra and DSM-Firmenich in December 2022 to produce dairy proteins via precision fermentation, Vivici has been able to move rapidly by leveraging its founders’ expertise in dairy proteins and industrial-scale biomanufacturing.
The firm, which has European partners able to produce at industrial scale, recently struck a deal with Liberation Bioindustries to produce beta-lactoglobulin (a whey protein) in the US at its biomanufacturing facility in Richmond, Indiana, with production set to begin there next year.
The EVERY Co, which was founded by Arturo Elizondo and David Anchel in 2014, has two core products: OvoPro ovalbumin, which replaces the functionality of egg and egg whites, and OvoBoost, a highly soluble ‘near-invisible’ glycoprotein.
The firm says it will have “profitable unit economics” next year as it ramps up manufacturing capacity to meet demand.
The post Breaking: Vivici and The Every Co explore 4m-liter alt protein facility in UAE appeared first on AgFunderNews.
