Australian animal-free fats developer Nourish Ingredients has signed an agreement with China’s CABIO Biotech to unlock the vast potential of the former’s flagship Tastilux product in the Asia Pacific region.
CABIO Biotech, which specialises in microbial fermentation and synthetic biology-based products, will manufacture Tastilux at its state-of-the-art facilities to deliver “efficient, quality production with minimal waste at global scale”.
Nourish Ingredients says this gives the biotech startup a pathway to enter the international market with the highest product quality and consistency.
Tastilux is a premium specialty ingredient developed by Nourish Ingredients from natural sources and produced through fermentation to provide a “meaty flavour, aroma and cooking experience” to alternative proteins. The product is critical in winning over consumers to the plant-based market by providing a “delicious animalic taste”.
Nourish Ingredients CEO James Petrie said, “Our strategic partnership with CABIO Biotech marks a pivotal moment for Nourish Ingredients. By leveraging CABIO’s established expertise, we’re not only derisking our supply chain for expansion but also enhancing our ability to deliver high-quality, innovative food solutions at scale. This collaboration combines our cutting-edge product development with CABIO’s manufacturing excellence and market insights, positioning us to meet the surging global demand for superior food ingredients. Together, we’re set to efficiently produce top-tier products, opening doors to both the dynamic Chinese market and broader international opportunities.”
The partnership delivers a clear strategy for market expansion with CABIO assisting Nourish Ingredients in spearheading distribution and sales within the Chinese market. Nourish Ingredients meanwhile will lead commercial engagement and sales in other global markets, with CABIO providing manufacturing support.
Jimmy Wang, Vice-President of CABIO Biotech said, “Together, we’ll set new standards in the alternative protein industry.” CABIO has established one of the world’s largest long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids manufacturing plants, with a full set of capabilities ranging from bio-fermentation, non-solvent extraction, refining, “winterisation”, and microencapsulation.
The initial focus of the collaboration is on Tastilux but both companies see the potential for future expansion into other product categories. Both partners see the significant commercial opportunity to meet growing demand in China for plant-based meat, while setting the stage for expansion into other APAC markets.
China’s annual meat consumption is close to 100 million tonnes annually, as such even a modest 1% substitution with plant-based alternatives by 2026 will create a market of one million tonnes a year. Industry projection estimated this market to surge to a value of US$3.5 billion by 2028.
