After two years Paleo has come out of stealth mode to announce its technology to bring the authentic taste and aroma to plant-based meat and fish alternatives with a non-GMO, animal-free “heme”.
We wrote about Paleo when they first emerged with their new technology in 2020 and now it appears they may be on track to be a leader in the alternative protein space. You will recall that “heme” is an essential molecule found in every living plant and animal that makes meat taste like meat, giving it its mouthfeel and umami sensation. According to Hermes Sanctorum, CEO and co-founder, Paleo has created a bio-identical heme that, through precision fermentation, can be adapted to add a specific taste to beef, pork, chicken, and even fish.
Keep in mind, the process is not significantly different than brewing beer, but instead of making alcohol, it makes a protein. On top of that, Fermentation which has been well known for centuries makes production highly scalable. Additionally, Paleo’s “heme” is cleanly separated from the yeast cells, making the production process even faster and also more sustainable, which is huge in the current narrative around food production. Sanctorum says that if we want to meet the 2025 and 2030 forecasts for meat and fish substitutes, we need game-changing technology like Paleo’s.
Its recent patent announcement is a significant step forward that inches closer to realizing a finished product and Sanctorum expects to have market-ready products in 2023, opening markets in the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Given precision fermentation at scale is a cap-ex-heavy investment, the recent announcement allows the company to share their parent with the world and advance their goal of attracting more investment money.
I’ve always argued that as the technology advances in this space it will not only bring down the prices in the alt meat categories but it will also start to deliver better taste and texture. If the alternative meats start to become cheaper and taste better, I have to imagine they will start to gain more market share… that’s what worries me! (Source: Paleo, foodingredientfirst.com, thespoon.com)
