German cell-based milk startup expands to the Netherlands
Senara, a German cell-based milk startup, has expanded to Maastricht with funding from regional agency LIOF to scale its GMO-free dairy production technology.
German cell-based milk startup Senara is expanding its European footprint. Founded in 2022 by Svenja Dannewitz and Philipp Prosseda, the Freiburg-based company has established a second hub in Maastricht, Netherlands, with investment from regional development agency LIOF.
Senara targets both food and cosmetic applications. Its goal is to produce milk that preserves the taste, nutritional value, and functionality of conventional dairy for use in products like ice cream, cheese, and panna cotta.
Expansion plans
The new base in Maastricht provides Senara with access to specialist knowledge, talent, and infrastructure. The location also offers potential partners within a growing regional cellular agriculture network. This network includes Maastricht University, the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, cultivated meat pioneer Mosa Meat, and the open-access facility Cultivate at Scale.
Cultivate at Scale provides infrastructure specifically designed for scaling cell culture processes. The expansion is a strategic move to accelerate the company's development.
Production method
Senara's technology grows milk-producing cells in a bioreactor, mimicking the function of a cow's udder. The resulting milk contains lactose, casein, whey, and micronutrients but is free from GMOs and common spoilage-causing microbes. The company asserts this method could require less space and energy than conventional dairy farming and may shorten supply chains.
Co-founder and CEO Svenja Dannewitz emphasizes the approach is about innovating the process, not the product. "We don’t want to change milk, but improve the production method," Dannewitz said. She envisions a future where farmers could use bioreactors on their own farms to remain integral to the food system.
The company's ambitions extend beyond cow's milk. Senara aims to produce milk from the cells of other animals including goats, buffaloes, sheep, donkeys, and bison.
Market prospects
Senara is considered one of the European frontrunners in cell-cultivated dairy, a small group that includes companies like Brown Foods, Wilk, and Opalia. The startup sees a potentially faster route to market for non-food applications, such as ingredients for cosmetics and skincare.
For food products, the timeline is longer but defined. Senara expects its first food items to reach supermarket shelves within a few years. The company was recently shortlisted for the 2025 Earthshot Prize by the WWF, highlighting its perceived potential impact.
Senara plans to scale up its technology with a pilot industrial bioreactor and aims to have it operational by 2028. The company expects its first food products to reach supermarket shelves within a few years.
