Leaft Foods Brings Revolutionary Rubisco Protein to East Asia
Leaft Foods, a New Zealand startup, is making waves in the plant-based protein scene. In collaboration with Lacto Japan, the company is introducing Rubisco protein to the East Asian market, aiming to build a business worth tens of millions of dollars in the next five years.
Rubisco, derived from green plant leaves, is the world's most abundant protein. It offers superior benefits to whey protein, boasting foaming, gelling, and emulsification properties. This makes it a clean-label alternative to methylcellulose in plant-based foods. Rubisco protein isolate is also rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and micronutrients, and generates 97% fewer greenhouse gases than whey protein.
Leaft Foods has developed a gentle process to preserve Rubisco's protein integrity and unlock its full potential. The company launched its first consumer product, Leaft Blade, a pre-workout drink with 17g of protein, in New Zealand in August. It has raised $15M in funding and moved to a 30,000 sq ft commercial-scale demo plant in Canterbury last year, which can produce a tonne of Leaf Rubisco products per week.
The company is expanding its footprint to Japan through its partnership with Lacto Japan. The Tokyo-based dairy major has decades of experience in connecting Antipodean ingredient makers to major food players in the East Asian country. Together, they are in talks with some of Japan's largest food manufacturers across plant-based foods, bakery products, and sports nutrition categories.
Leaft Foods and Lacto Japan's collaboration is set to revolutionize the plant-based protein market in East Asia. With Rubisco's unique properties and Leaft Foods' innovative processing, they aim to build a business worth tens of millions of dollars in the next five years. This partnership is not only beneficial for business but also for the environment, as Rubisco protein generates significantly fewer greenhouse gases than whey protein.
