Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup based in Israel, has announced the grand opening of its first commercial plant, marking a significant milestone in its mission to create sustainable ingredients using microalgae protein. This development comes after the company secured $18.5 million in seed funding last July, led by NevaTeam Partners and supported by the European Union’s EIC Fund. This funding has facilitated Brevel’s transition to commercial-scale production and set the stage for global expansion.
The new facility, located in Israel’s desert periphery, spans 27,000 square feet (2,500 square meters). It includes the company’s headquarters, a large research and development (R&D) center, and an expansive commercial manufacturing area. The site is equipped with multiple bioreactors of various scales: 3, 50, 500 liters, and the company’s first 5,000-liter bioreactor. With this setup, Brevel is poised to produce hundreds of tons of its flagship ingredient, a 60-70% microalgae protein concentrate designed for use in meat and dairy alternatives. The first products from this facility are expected to launch by the first quarter of 2025.
Yonatan Golan, CEO and co-founder of Brevel, shared insights about the facility's capabilities and future plans. “While we are starting with one 5,000-liter bioreactor, we will be able to increase capacity up to a total of 30,000 liters in the current facility,” Golan told Cultivated X. This scalability underscores the company’s ambition to meet growing demands for sustainable protein.
Brevel was established in 2016 by the Golan brothers: CEO Yonatan, COO Matan, and CTO Ido. The company has developed a unique biomass fermentation process that uses sugar, a microalgae strain from the chlorella family, and light to produce cost-effective and functional proteins, along with other co-products such as oil and fibers. The microalgae strain used by Brevel has received GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) approval and is not considered a ‘Novel Food’ by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, the extracted protein requires regulatory approval, a process that Brevel is actively pursuing.
The resulting non-GMO protein ingredient offers a complete amino acid profile and boasts a neutral flavor and color, making it versatile for various food and beverage applications. Yonatan Golan emphasized the technological advancements necessary to achieve a clean, white protein product with a neutral flavor. “We had to develop a unique downstream process, finely tuned to the growing phase, to produce a very clean, white protein product with a neutral flavor,” he explained.
Brevel’s microalgae protein can seamlessly replace other plant-based proteins like soy and pea. It has the advantage of requiring fewer flavor-masking agents and can substitute for thickening, gelling, and other additives in plant-based cheese. “We grow natural microalgae the same as they grow in nature. We then extract the highly nutritious and functional proteins which are native to the microalgae,” Yonatan added.
Looking ahead, Brevel plans to collaborate with partners to launch products containing its protein starting in early 2025. Additionally, the company is exploring the development of other products using its co-products, such as lipids, non-soluble protein, fibers, and pigments, aimed at the dietary supplement industry. These innovations will be rolled out as Brevel’s research and development progresses.
In 2022, Brevel partnered with VGarden, a vegan food manufacturer, to develop a high-protein plant-based cheese. This product, pending regulatory approval, is set to launch in global markets first, followed by Israel. “We have strategized several joint-venture partnerships in the US, Europe, and Asia. The result will be the construction of larger facilities to fulfill growing demands for our sustainable protein in multiple applications,” Yonatan shared.
The inauguration event for the new facility attracted over 150 attendees, including investors, food tech startups, government representatives, and food manufacturers. Guests were given tours of the state-of-the-art facility and had the opportunity to taste various plant-based cheese analogs, showcasing the potential of Brevel’s microalgae protein to deliver nutritional value without compromising on flavor or appearance.
CTO Ido Golan commented on the significance of the new facility, stating, “This new facility is just the beginning for Brevel. We will make a vital contribution to building a secure, resilient food value chain that will nourish future generations with a new supply line of affordable yet highly nutritious protein.”
Brevel’s journey from startup to a key player in sustainable food production highlights the transformative potential of innovative biotechnology. With its new commercial plant, Brevel is well-positioned to lead the way in the production of sustainable, high-quality protein ingredients, contributing to a more resilient and environmentally friendly food system.
Comments