Prepared Foods logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Prepared Foods logo
  • TRENDS
    • Prepared Foods The Year Ahead
    • Innovation Month
    • *Sustainability*
  • PRODUCTS
    • Bakery
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast, Cereals & Bars
    • Candy
    • Cannabis
    • Dairy
    • Meals & Sides
    • Meat, Poultry & Seafood
    • Sauces & Marinades
    • Snacks & Appetizers
    • Soups
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Antioxidants & Nutritionals
    • Colorings
    • Dietary Fiber
    • Emulsifiers, Fat & Oils
    • Flavors, Seasonings, Spices
    • Flours, Grains, & Pasta
    • Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
    • Gums & Starches
    • Phosphates & Acidulants
    • *Proteins*
    • Sweeteners
  • FORMULATION
    • Allergens & Intolerance
    • Authentic & Ethnic
    • Cost Reduction
    • Fat Reduction
    • Gluten Free
    • *Immunity*
    • *Natural / Organic*
    • *Plant Based & Vegetarian*
    • R&D Lab Tech / QA-QC / Food Safety
    • Shelf Stability
    • *Sugar Reduction*
  • BETTER FOR YOU
    • Functional New Products
    • Functional Ingredients
    • Functional Benefits
  • FOOD MASTER
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Infographics
    • Play With Your Food Game
    • Webinars
  • EVENTS
    • Spirit of Innovation Awards
    • Industry Events
  • MORE
    • Favorite Products Poll
    • First Person Q&A
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
IngredientsSustainable Food ProductionProteins

Plantible Opens First Commercial Facility in Texas to Scale Sustainable Rubi Protein

With its Eldorado-based Ranchito now fully operational, Plantible is ramping up production of its lemna-derived protein, driving sustainability, local job growth and the next generation of food innovation

By Prepared Foods Editorial Staff
Plantible Facility
IMAGE COURTESY OF: Plantible
August 27, 2025

Plantible, a biology company reshaping the future of food, announced that its first commercial facility in Eldorado, Texas, is now fully operational and entering a new phase of expansion.

The facility—known as the Ranchito—represents a significant step forward in Plantible's mission to reshape global food production by harnessing the power of plants. Built in Schleicher County, a rural West Texas community, the facility now houses a growing network of greenhouses, upgraded protein filtration systems, and a newly introduced, higher-yield strain of the aquatic plant used to produce Rubi Protein—Plantible's flagship ingredient. Plantible leverages lemna, also known as water lentils, to bring to market this sustainable, nutrient dense and cost-effective food ingredient. Lemna is the most resilient and sustainable protein feedstock as it can be grown in harsh environments, with 10x less water than soy, and no arable land requirements, while having a doubling rate of two to three days.

By producing high-quality, functional ingredients to replace synthetic and environmentally taxing components in commercial food products, Plantible is redefining what is possible in agri-food. The food industry has continued to rely on inputs that were identified and developed over 3,000 years ago. Where other industries innovated, the food industry lagged behind. Plantible is changing this narrative, moving away from alternatives to enhancements.

The Ranchito is expected to produce thousands of metric tons of biomass annually — enabling delivery of hundreds of metric tons of protein per year. This output will contribute to nearly 8,000 metric tons in potential CO₂-equivalent emissions reductions annually, by replacing animal-based protein and synthetic ingredients in food supply chains.

Expanded Capacity and Strategic Deployments
As part of the facility's expansion, Plantible integrated state-of-the-art filtration equipment that has significantly reduced production costs while increasing throughput. This critical advancement enhances Plantible's ability to achieve cash flow positivity at the facility and produce Rubi Protein at scale—bringing the company one step closer to making food more affordable, nutritious, and delicious.

Plantible is currently working with key customers, including ICL, to integrate Rubi Protein into a range of consumer product. A neutral-tasting, allergen-free, complete protein (PDCAAS 1.0), Rubi Protein provides unmatched functional benefits for emulsifying, gelling, and binding. Rubi Protein enables formulators to improve texture and stability while delivering a nutritional profile comparable to animal proteins.

Investing in the Local Community
Since choosing Eldorado in 2022 for its operational and environmental advantages, Plantible has worked to embed itself in the community. In 2023, the company added 32 skilled local roles across operations, engineering, and research. With Plantible's arrival in Eldorado, medium income has risen by over 60%, showing the true impact of local US-based manufacturing.

Plantible is also actively fostering skill development in the region through workforce training and educational partnerships. Currently, the company has an intern program that is part of a broader effort to create pathways into sustainable manufacturing, agriculture, and biotech careers, bringing in students from Angelo State University. This program exists to cultivate the next generation of climate innovators and leaders who will help reshape the global food system with science, sustainability, and bold ideas. Plantible aims to bring diverse, motivated individuals into the mission of solving the most pressing humanitarian and environmental challenge of our time: how we feed the world, sustainably.

Looking Ahead
Plantible has introduced a proprietary strain that increases its Rubi yield per acre, marking a breakthrough in both sustainability and efficiency. The company is actively conducting trials on additional new strains that could further accelerate Rubi Protein's unit economics, scalability, and affordability.

In addition, Plantible is working on securing additional financing to continue building out the Ranchito to Rancho scale, increasing capacity by threefold and allowing Plantible to continue meeting the demands of their customers.

This milestone was commemorated with a ribbon cutting ceremony that brought together community leaders, employees, and partners to celebrate Plantible's next phase of growth.

Dr. Russell Jessup, Pressor and Center Director at Texas A&M Agrilife Research & Extension Center was present at the event and said, "Plantible Foods' ribbon cutting showcased an innovative team, transformative product, and streamlined facility."

With scalable production now underway, the company plans to continue investing in Eldorado—expanding its footprint, hiring locally, and leading the charge toward a more resilient, sustainable food system.

KEYWORDS: food manufacturing

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Women in beverge isle

    Ingredient Demonization May Not Drive Consumer Behavior

    While tracking cultural conversations around demonized...
    Ingredients
    By: Prepared Foods Editorial Staff
  • Bubs Candy Packages

    Sweden’s Viral Candy Brand BUBS Lands in US Retail Nationwide

    TikTok videos of BUB's unique chewy-meets-marshmallow...
    Candy
    By: Prepared Foods Editorial Staff
  • Innovation Month Logo Orange

    Introducing Innovation Month: A Deep Dive into the Future of Food & Beverage

    The next wave of food innovation is here. Dive into the...
    Breaking News
    By: Prepared Foods Editorial Staff
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Newsletters
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Prepared Foods audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Prepared Foods or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  •  A close-up of a fruit branch on a cherry tree.
    Sponsored byU.S. Tart Cherries

    When Provenance Meets Performance: The Case for U.S.-Grown Montmorency Tart Cherries

Popular Stories

Overhead view of Asian-inspired rice bowls, bao buns, shrimp, chicken, fresh vegetables, and chopsticks arranged on a dark wooden table.

UPFs: The Culinary Science View

Buckwalter OceanSpray CEO

Ocean Spray Names Abigail Buckwalter CEO

A column chart made of sugar cubes with a blue background.

Sugar, Salt Reduction Drives New Formulation Strategies

PF Webinar sponsored by FoodChain: Signals to Shelf: Turning Consumer Insight into Executable Innovation

Events

June 18, 2025

Master the Art of Plant-Based Dairy

ON DEMAND: Whether you're in R&D, formulation, or innovation, this session will provide enzyme-driven insights to improve your plant-based dairy portfolio.

July 22, 2025

Boost Flavour and Functionality in Plant-Based Beverages With Bio-Based Solutions

ON DEMAND: Demand for plant-based beverages is rising, driven by health, environmental, and dietary trends. Yet, challenges around taste, texture, stability, and nutrition remain.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

CHECK OUT OUR NEW POWER TRENDS

Immunity Logo
Natural & Organic Logo
Plant Based Logo
Protein Logo
Sugar Reduction Logo Sustainability Logo

Related Articles

  • Protein Pretzels bags

    CRISP POWER Invests $15 Million in Texas Production Facility

    See More
  • HariboWisconsin_780.jpg

    HARIBO Opens First Factory in the United States

    See More
  • MissionBarnes_900

    Mission Barns Raises $24M Series A to Scale Up its Cultivated Fat Technology, Build Pilot Production Facility

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • Lean Manufacturing in the Food Industry

  • Vegetable Oils in Food Technology: Composition, Properties and Uses, 2nd Edition

  • food-crime.jpg

    Food Crime: An Introduction to Deviance in the Food Industry

See More Products
×

Unlock the Future of Food and Beverage Innovation

Are you a leader in research & development? Stay ahead of the curve with Prepared Foods, the premier source of information and insights for today's trend leaders and taste-makers in food and beverage manufacturing.

JOIN TODAY
  • Resources
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Join
  • Sign Up Today
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • Services
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • Stay Connected
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing