Gas and oil giant invests in alternative protein producer Calysta.
A USD 30 million investment from BP Ventures will go to support a worldwide rollout of Calysta’s FeedKind protein, Calysta wrote in a press release today.
The investment will help Calysta expand production of its single-cell protein, which is produced through a gas fermentation process using naturally occurring, non-GM microbes with an ability to use methane as their energy source.
California-based Calysta operates a production facility in Teesside in East England.
“Welcoming BP as a partner is a tremendous step forward for FeedKind protein and the best indicator yet that Calysta’s solution to food insecurity in a resource-constrained world can and will achieve global scale,” said Calysta President and CEO Alan Shaw Ph.D.
“The problems facing our food production supply chains have never been more clear, with increasing evidence that land and water scarcity are key challenges to meeting future demand for protein. FeedKind makes more from less, producing feed for livestock, fish and pets while making smarter use of our resources.
“We look forward to working closely with BP as we prepare to deliver this product to the world. Calysta will benefit from BP’s operational excellence and focus on safety when deploying multiple production plants.”
BP Ventures Managing Director Meghan Sharp added: “We are really excited to be working with the team at Calysta, bringing them into the BP Ventures family as we seek new commercial opportunities for our gas business. Their technology complements our core business while providing opportunities for sustainable products for tomorrow.”
