Bel and Superbrewed Food are entering a strategic collaboration to develop a line of cheese products incorporating Superbrewed Postbiotic Cultured Protein

12-Jul-2022 - USA

Bel Group, a major player in healthy snacking with cheese brands such as Babybel®, The Laughing Cow® and Boursin®, and Superbrewed Food announce an exclusive strategic collaboration. This was negotiated by Bel Ventures as part of the Group’s strategy to pioneer the development of dairy and plant-based food innovations to meet the food challenges of tomorrow for a growing population.

Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash

After a screening process, Bel Ventures, in partnership with Bel’s R&D department, selected Superbrewed Food to accelerate on one of the Group’s technological bets: biomass fermentation. Thanks to the remarkable quality, lower environmental impact, and functionality of this start-up’s ingredient, the partnership with Superbrewed aligns with Bel’s goal to scale up its most promising technologies offering nutritional, environmental, and sensory advantages in its products for the benefit of people and the planet.

Superbrewed Protein is nutrient-rich protein ingredient made from microflora found in nature that convert plant fibers. This high-quality protein contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is a “whole food” because it is minimally processed to retain its natural nutrition beyond protein. For example, a thirty-gram serving meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for being a “good source” of five B-vitamins, including a full day’s supply of B-12, and a “good source” of six essential minerals, such as iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.

This protein will be ready to ship from Superbrewed Food’s Delaware facility in the first half of 2023. Bel Group’s goal is to develop a full range of cheeses with this ingredient and be able to propose these new products to consumers very soon.

Bel Group Chief Venture Officer Caroline Sorlin said: “Pursuing our mission to offer healthy snacks for all, Bel innovates to support the changes in nutritional needs and meet the challenges of a sustainable diet for an ever-growing world population. We are very happy to enter this exclusive collaboration, which is testament to our pioneering role and acceleration on disruptive technologies. As a family business, we are also proud to have adopted an “open collaboration” model with over 100 partners, including start-ups, to stimulate and scale up their innovations and so prepare the future of food.”

Bel Group Research and Application Director Anne Pitkowski said: “We are accelerating on biomass fermentation at the R&D level for its environmental, nutritional and accessibility benefits, without compromising on taste and pleasure. Thus, we are very happy to work hand-in-hand with best-in-class startup Superbrewed Food and to be able to offer promising product innovations to consumers.”

Superbrewed Food CEO Bryan Tracy, PhD, said: “We’re honored to partner with Bel Group to lead the industry in the application of highly scalable alternative proteins for cheese. Given the global reach of their brands and inclusive “open collaboration” model, they are ideal partners for Superbrewed.”

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