New Culture

Founded in 2018, New Culture is a startup producing plant-based cheese by replicating the casein protein using precision fermentation technology; the protein is the key element that gives the cheesiness and the melt of conventional animal-derived cheeses. The startup blends the produced casein with water, plant-based fats such as coconut oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil, and other vitamins and minerals to make plant-based mozzarella of the same taste, texture, function, and nutritional value as animal-sourced mozzarella.  In February 2024 , New Culture received self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification for its precision fermentation-derived casein, making it the first company to do so.

In May 2023 , the company launched its first product–an animal-free mozzarella–developed in collaboration with award-winning chef and co-owner of Pizzeria Mozza, Nancy Silverton. According to the company, this product contains dairy-identical casein proteins and is free from lactose and cholesterol, while offering the same versatility as traditional cheese.

In August 2023 , New Culture scaled its animal-free casein production platform to produce cheese for 25,000 pizzas in a single run. Further, it achieved an 80% reduction in costs and is targeting price parity with conventional dairy within three years.

Key customers and partnerships

In August 2022 , the company entered into a strategic partnership with leading ingredients manufacturer, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) for the joint product development and scaling up of its animal-free dairy products, prior to commercialization in the US, slated for 2023.

In May 2024 , the company partnered with CJ CheilJedang, a global supplier of fermented bioproducts, to lower the production cost of its animal-free casein protein used in making mozzarella cheese.

Funding and financials

In its latest funding round in November 2021, the startup raised USD 25 million in series A funding co-led by Ahren Innovation Capital and CPT Capital, including other investors. The startup planned to use the funds to expand its team and scale up production ahead of its planned  plant-based mozzarella cheese launch. In addition, the company secured an undisclosed investment from Korean conglomerate CJ Cheijedang in November 2022 .