Standing Ovation, a French biotech pioneer in producing alternative proteins and specialist in precision fermentation applied to dairy proteins, is joining forces with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE) to boost milk proteins.

AFE is an affiliate of the Japanese Ajinomoto Group and has decades of experience in industrial fermentation.

The partnership will produce milk proteins, specifically caseins, at AFE’s biomanufacturing plant in Nesle, France. This plant is close to Standing Ovation’s main customers, including key dairy industry players. 

Casein is the main protein in milk, enabling it to be transformed into dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, yogurt and foaming milk.

Fermentative casein production

Standing Ovation, which was established in 2020, leveraged its patented precision fermentation technology to develop Advanced Casein, an animal-free casein powder that paves the way for the creation of dairy products.

According to the company, these solutions deliver traditional dairy proteins’ functional and organoleptic properties while significantly reducing the environmental footprint.

Standing Ovation will combine its patented technology with AFE’s expertise in industrial biotechnology, enabling both partners to produce fermentation-enabled caseins without animal breeding. 

Hiroshi Kaneko, President of Ajinomoto Foods Europe says: “With food innovation at the heart of Ajinomoto Group’s legacy, we are eager to leverage our expertise in precision fermentation to support their large-scale manufacturing efforts.”

Yvan Chardonnens, CEO of Standing Ovation, adds : “As a global player with historical expertise, Ajinomoto is an ideal manufacturing partner for us. Their leading fermentation capabilities in France will enable us to meet our customers’ needs by providing them with high-quality and sustainable proteins.”