Microbial Food Company Small food A manufacturing plant will soon open and its new seafood will scale up for the alt seafood market with whole foods, vegan and GMO-free ingredients. At the new facility in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the company will build its fermentation line and install its organic production process.
After ten years and $20 million in research evaluating more than 20,000 microbes, Smallfood discovered a wild microbial strain capable of producing premium protein through biomass fermentation.
“Because our germs come from the sea, our products are licensed as seafood,” Marc St-Onge, founder and CEO of SmallFood, commented in a conversation with Vezeconomist.
The ultimate sustainable solution
The company’s end product is Premium Protein which is a natural seafood flavor that can be used for multiple applications. It offers an amino acid profile similar to beef and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA—desirable properties that aren’t easy to achieve in low-cost alt foods.
According to Smallfood, biomass fermentation makes the perfect ingredient. It is the “ultimate” sustainable solution with minimal land, water (160 times less water than farmed fish) and energy requirements compared to traditional protein sources. Furthermore, the productivity of its proprietary biomass technology with a production time of just seven days, ensures a stable and fluid supply chain.
Low cost alt seafood
Until now, SmallFood has been partnering with outside manufacturers to make its biomass-derived ingredients. Initially, the company focused on protein isolates and concentrates for various industries such as plant-based food, pet food and supplements. But after many alt seafood brands showed interest in its whole food ingredients, it is developing a textured product (not using extrusion) at lower temperatures to preserve the biomass’s unique nutritional profile.
With acclaimed chef Doug McNish, Smallfood showcases its textured ingredients in seafood. Smallfood said the fish alternatives have received positive taster feedback, adding that they rival conventional seafood in terms of nutrition, taste, price and environmental sustainability.
“Scaling production will enable manufacturers to produce nutritious and environmentally friendly seafood products at lower costs, achieving price parity in the alt seafood market,” said Saint-Onge.