MOA Foodtech Scales Yeast Ingredients From Agrifood Waste
MOA Foodtech has secured €3.3 million to scale production of its yeast-based ingredients, grown on agrifood side streams.
Spanish biotech firm MOA Foodtech has closed a €3.3 million funding round to scale up manufacturing and commercial sales. The capital injection activates part of a larger €14.8 million commitment from the European Innovation Council.
Investors in the round include Swanlaab Innvierte AgriFood Tech, the EIC Fund, and CDTI-Innvierte. CEO Bosco Emparanza told Green Queen that the €3.3 million includes a first €1 million tranche of the EIC's equity commitment, bringing the company's total raised financing to €12.3 million.
Scaling Production Capacity
MOA will significantly increase its available manufacturing capacity. The company plans to boost the bioreactor volume accessible through its Spanish partners from 120,000 litres to 225,000 litres. This expansion is designed to meet demand from customers transitioning from trials to full product launches. The ingredients are produced by a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in Spain and sold directly to food manufacturers.
Commercial Ingredient Portfolio
The company currently markets three core products, all derived from non-GMO yeast strains grown on agrifood side streams like distillers' grains and crop residues. These strains have established safety status in the US and Europe, avoiding novel food approval processes.
One ingredient has already reached the consumer market. Emparanza confirmed to AgFunderNews that MOA Yeast FeG is used in a commercial pet food product, though the specific customer and brand remain confidential. The company is running additional pilot projects, mainly with European firms, in the bakery and pet food sectors.
Future Development and Expansion
Beyond its own product line, MOA engages in co-development projects to transform industrial partners' side streams into functional ingredients. The company also plans to expand a licensing model. This model would allow partners to operate MOA's fermentation processes and use its proprietary Albatros AI platform directly.
New ingredient categories are in the pipeline. Emparanza told Green Queen that current development work includes postbiotics and ingredients aimed at areas like mental wellbeing. He stated that several projects for these applications are already underway.
The funding and scaled capacity position MOA to move its yeast-based ingredients, created from waste streams, further into mainstream food and pet food manufacturing.
