“Belgian Startup Paleo Ventures into Plant-Based Pet Food Market with Animal-Free Heme Ingredient”

Paleo Ventures into Plant-Based Pet Food Market with Animal-Free Heme Ingredient

Belgium-based precision fermentation startup, Paleo, known for its production of alternative proteins for plant-based foods, is making a bold move into the plant-based pet food market. The company is introducing an animal-free heme ingredient, a significant innovation in the industry. Today, Paleo announces that it has filed and published what it claims to be the “world-first” patent application for the use of its animal-free heme in pet food formulations.

Paleo’s portfolio of heme includes animal myoglobins found in beef, chicken, pork, lamb, tuna, and even mammoth. However, the company is considering developing proteins from common preys for cats and dogs, such as rat, mouse, and rabbit. The biotech’s proteins are said to be highly pure, 100% GMO-free, and bioidentical to animal myoglobin. Initially, the product could be presented as a protein powder, but the company is exploring the pros and cons of other formats.

“We are now reaching out to pet food manufacturers who are interested in possible inclusion of our myoglobins and in working together to develop pet food applications,” commented Hermes Sanctorum, CEO of Paleo.

Enhancing Plant-Based Foods with Myoglobin

Myoglobin is a heme protein found in animal muscles. When added to plant-based food, it delivers the color, smell, and taste of meat. It also enables the cooking experience of meat, forming a crust and in some applications, it bleeds. Heme enhances the nutritional profile of vegan foods, providing proteins and bioavailable iron.

After observing positive results in food applications and while awaiting novel food regulations, the startup decided to explore the potential of its ingredients to enhance the palatability of plant-based pet food. The startup saw the opportunity to cater to the growing demand for sustainable alternative protein sources for the pet food industry while facilitating dogs and cat’s transition from animal to plant-based diets with its versatile heme.

“The vegan market projected growth is significant, but still faces challenges that are similar to the ones we have seen in human food: taste and olfactory experience is critical to increase acceptance of plant-based options. We believe that Paleo’s ingredients have the potential to address this taste gap and exponentially help drive palatability,” shares Sanctorum.

Will Paleo Hit the Market by 2024?

Founded in 2020, Paleo has developed a proprietary precision fermentation to create sustainable animal-free proteins using yeasts. The technology is extremely versatile and can unlock GMO-free, highly tailored heme, explains Paleo.

In 2021, the firm raised €2 million to fund an R&D center, pilot plant, and experience center. This year, it secured €12 million to scale the production of animal-free heme protein and hit strategic milestones and commercial objectives.

Paleo has expanded its reach by recently establishing an office in Singapore and is currently getting ready to supply its innovative products for plant-based food and pet foods. The company has announced before that it is developing a commercial production strategy and seeking regulatory approvals in markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Paleo tells vegconomist that to commercialize its animal-free heme for pet foods in Europe, it needs to obtain EU regulatory approval since it falls under the definition of feed additive instead of raw material under Regulation 1830.

Regarding a possible launch of the animal-free heme in a dog or cat food product during 2024, Goele Janssen, Head of Communications at Paleo, said: “Our company does not want to pinpoint itself to any deadlines. We aspire to progress as swiftly as possible.”

With its patent application and innovative approach to plant-based pet food, Paleo is poised to make a significant impact on the industry. As the company continues to develop and refine its products, the future of plant-based pet food looks promising.