Cargill and foodtech company ENOUGH, which produces fermented protein sustainably, are expanding their partnership to further innovate nutritious and sustainable alternative meat and dairy solutions.
Cargill is investing in ENOUGH’s most recent (Series C) growth funding campaign and has signed a commercial agreement to use and market its fermented protein.
ENOUGH uses a pioneering technology that enables large-scale sustainable protein production of its ABUNDA mycoprotein. ABUNDA is grown by feeding fungi with sugars from sustainably-sourced grain that is then fermented in a natural production process like making beer, wine or yogurt. This creates ABUNDA mycoprotein, a complete food ingredient that contains essential amino acids and is high in dietary fibre. ABUNDA is produced through a zero-waste fermentation process, with Cargill’s glucose syrup as a main source.
“Cargill is strengthening its partnership with ENOUGH because the world needs more protein that is grown more sustainably to keep pace with global population growth. Mycoprotein is an emerging ingredient with a disruptive role to play due to its many benefits including a meat-like texture, protein profile, scalability and sustainability,” said Belgin Kose, managing director, Cargill Meat and Dairy Alternatives.
“We remain committed to bringing alternative and traditional protein source options to the table, and our collaboration with ENOUGH is one of the ways we can realize our purpose to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.”
ENOUGH’s 160,000 square foot (15,000 square metre) production facility, built in 2022, is co-located alongside a Cargill facility in Sas van Gent, The Netherlands. Cargill provides ENOUGH with glucose syrup and utilities as well as partnering with ENOUGH in the EU-funded PLENITUDE consortium project.
With the expanded partnership, Cargill will co-create protein alternative foods containing ABUNDA mycoprotein by leveraging its portfolio of plant-based proteins, texturizers and fats, as well as its formulations and applications capabilities. ENOUGH will benefit from Cargill’s global footprint and feedstock technology to scale up faster in Europe and beyond.
“Expanding our partnership with Cargill is an exciting step to accelerate the great strides we’ve already made through the co-location of our Sas van Gent facility,” said Jim Laird, CEO of ENOUGH.
“The alternative protein market is a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, and efficiency will come from collaboration with partners such as Cargill to leverage existing demand and supply chain to gain scale.”
ENOUGH aims to grow more than one million tons of ABUNDA cumulatively by 2033.
Jim Cornall is editor of Future Food Today and publisher at Ayr Coastal Media. He is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, broadcaster, designer and author. Contact Jim here.