Yeastup, a Swiss yeast-based ingredients company, has raised CHF 8.9m (approx. $9.9m) in funding to support a new large-scale production site.

The company will repurpose a former dairy site in Switzerland to establish the new facility, requiring limited CAPEX while leveraging existing high-standard equipment. According to Yeastup, the site will have the capacity to upcycle over 20,000 tons of brewer’s yeast annually.

Yeastup extracts functional ingredients from brewer’s spent yeast using a patented process. The technology isolates protein, beta-glucan and mannoprotein in a single industrial process, opening up a wide range of application opportunities for these ingredients across the food, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.

Its yeast-based vegan protein, Yeastin, has a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of 1, comparable to egg protein. It offers good solubility and neutral taste, making it a particularly versatile ingredient. Elsewhere, Yeastup’s fibre ingredient line, Upfiber – consisting of beta-glucans and mannoproteins – can provide gelling and water-binding properties, designed to meet demand for healthy ingredients for functional foods and dietary supplements.

According to Yeastup, its protein production process requires 74% less CO₂ than the production of alternative pea proteins, making it an attractive choice with regards to sustainability.

The new site previously operated as a production facility for Swiss dairy producer Cremo. Ralph Perroud, CEO of Cremo, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Yeastup, whose innovative process not only brings new life to our facility but also demonstrates how existing dairy infrastructure can be successfully utilised for the alternative protein sector. We see this as an opportunity to reposition ourselves and explore innovative pathways together with Yeastup.”

Supporting investors include Beyond Impact, Gentian Investments, Newtree Impact and Angel House.  Benoît de Bruyn, managing director of Newtree Impact and designated new board member of Yeastup, said Newtree chose to invest due to Yeastup’s upscaling process, which results in “significantly better products and economics compared to others in this space”.

Daniel Gnos, CEO of Yeastup, commented: “As a former food technologist in brewing and start-up entrepreneur in the functional food space, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how our groundbreaking innovation has convinced consumers, partners and investors. There are so many compelling reasons why this makes sense for all stakeholders. This support motivates me and the entire team to go the extra mile for Yeastup.”

Top image: © Yeastup

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