Precision-fermented dairy company TurtleTree has entered into a new multi-year strategic partnership with Strive.
Kansas, US-based Strive is a nutrition company focused on providing sustainable, protein enriched beverages that are nutritious and good for the planet.
Strive currently offers FreeMilk, a true milk alternative with fermentation-derived protein. Through the partnership with TurtleTree, Strive is looking to expand into additional products including an immunity support beverage aimed at adult nutrition as well as a ready-to-mix protein powder.
Both new products will include TurtleTree’s lactoferrin (LF+), the world’s first animal-free lactoferrin.
Through the collaboration, Strive and TurtleTree’s immunity support beverage will provide consumers with the unique benefits of lactoferrin to support gut health and iron regulation as well as immune support, while ensuring supplementation of the daily recommended vitamins.
The immunity support beverage will be an 8oz carton with 12-15 grams of fermentation-derived whey protein and 250mg of fermentation-derived LF+. It will also include a blend of 23 essential vitamins and minerals to enhance the product geared toward ageing adults.
The announcement comes after TurtleTree became the 'first precision fermentation dairy company globally' to obtain vegan certification (in February this year), and the 'first-ever' to receive the ‘Certified Vegan’ logo since the logo's launch 24 years ago. The biotech firm received the certification only a few months after it achieved self-affirmed generally recognised as safe (GRAS) status for its LF+ ingredient (November 2023).
Fengru Lin, CEO at TurtleTree, said: “Here at TurtleTree, we are very excited about Strive’s ambitions and goals. We love that it is targeting an industry and segment of a population that is growing globally and is ripe for more innovation in the market. We are looking forward to supporting Strive with our lactoferrin in order to continue providing its target audience with more functional food products to support longevity.”
Strive’s CEO Dennis Cohlmia added: “We created these products for a first launch into adult nutrition for consumers who are concerned about longevity and wellness. The health attributes of bovine lactoferrin and colostrum are extensive and becoming more known to the general public. Now, we can have an animal-free lactoferrin with prebiotics that is made through precision fermentation, vegan-certified and is cruelty-free.”
Cohlmia continued: “We’ve known the team at TurtleTree for several years and have worked closely with them as they have developed the LF+. They are the only company with a commercial product that meets FDA Self-GRAS.”
