Microalgae protein company Brevel has opened its first commercial plant, which spans 27,000 sqft and can produce hundreds of tonnes of microalgae protein powder per year.
The new site located in the desert periphery of Israel facilitates the introduction of Brevel’s new plant protein to the commercial food market by bringing production up to industrial levels.
From the new facility, Brevel can provide a fresh source of protein extracted from the uniquely grown microalgae belonging to the chlorella family.
The resulting ingredient is both nutritious and highly cost-effective, according to Brevel. It has a neutral flavour and colour and leaves a negligible environmental footprint.
The company expects the new facility to start rolling its first products by the first quarter of 2025.
Fermentation sees the light
Brevel cultivates its microalgae in indoor bioreactors via the fermentation of sugars. Unique to its technology is the simultaneous application of light and fermentation. This enables the generation of nutrient-rich microalgae in abundant yields, without any form of gene modification.
“Combining light and fermentation to produce microalgae is like putting an electric motor into a Tesla car,” explains Brevel’s co-founder and CEO, Yonatan Golan. “It may sound like a very simple straightforward task to achieve but is actually extremely complex. This was the challenge we managed to crack and lies at the core of our technology."
"Until now, fermentation has been confined to dark environments and is instrumental in producing the extremely high yields. However, microalgae’s natural makeup of nutrients—including protein, lipids, fibre and pigments—depend on photosynthesis for their development and growth.”
Brevel will supply its protein to plant-based food formulators and food manufacturers worldwide, some of whom are strategic partners and investors in the company.
[Photograph by Eldad Shatz]