New Culture, CJ CheilJedang Enter Strategic Partnership for Commercial Manufacturing Capacity
Partnership to enable low-cost production of world's first animal-free casein protein for mozzarella
New Culture, a pioneering animal-free dairy company, announced a strategic partnership with CJ CheilJedang, a supplier of bioproducts made from microbial fermentation. The partnership is focused on driving down the cost of New Culture's animal-free casein protein, unlocking commodity pricing including for New Culture's first product, mozzarella for pizzerias.
New Culture is the first company in the world to make dairy mozzarella without the animal milk that turns off many consumers due to nutrition, dietary, ethical and environmental concerns. The key ingredient in the company's animal-free cheese is casein – the "cheese stretch" protein – made through a proprietary fermentation process similar to brewing beer. New Culture's flagship product will launch with James Beard Award-winning chef Nancy Silverton at her iconic Pizzeria Mozza this year, unleashing a new era of delicious, nutritious, and planet-friendly dairy for the $9bn US mozzarella market.
A $23B Korean conglomerate, CJ CheilJedang is a leading food and biotechnology company with more than 60 years' experience in fermentation technology, advancing proprietary amino acids for feed and food, savory flavors and seasoning materials, and plant based protein ingredients. The expertise spans 10 manufacturing sites in seven countries worldwide comprising millions of liters of fermentation capacity across a range of microbial platforms and downstream processing assets. In addition to its fermentation prowess, CJ CheilJedang is also a global leader in foods through its Korean food brand bibigo and ownership of Schwan's Company, known for the frozen pizza brand Red Baron.
This partnership with CJ CheilJedang further strengthens New Culture's manufacturing position and path to profitability, building on the company's previously announced partnership with ADM, the US-based, alternative protein and fermentation leader. New Culture also has the backing of Kraft Heinz, venture capital firms Mayfield, Future Ventures, Ahren Innovation Capital and SOSV, as well as food investors S2G and CPT Capital.
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