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ADM and Air Protein have entered into a strategic development agreement to collaborate on R&D to advance new and novel proteins for nutrition. Air Protein has developed air-based nutritional proteins that require no agriculture or farmland, enabling the decoupling of protein production from traditional supply chain risks. The strategic agreement will combine ADM’s expertise in nutrition, formulation and research, with Air Protein’s unique landless agriculture platform. It aims to develop methods to scale cost-effective ingredients that enable meat substitutes to deliver on cost, nutrition, flavour and texture expectations. The agreement also provides mutually exclusive rights for ADM and Air Protein to collaborate on and operate the world’s first Air Protein commercial-scale plant. Before entering into the agreement, ADM supported Air Protein by investing in its Series A round and contributing to ‘simple agreement for future equity’ funding. To date, Air Protein has raised $107 million in cumulative capital and has used the funding to accelerate its expansion of scientists and manufacturing and food experts, as well as the construction of its Air Farm in California, US. In a statement, Air Protein said the Air Farm in San Leandro, California “serves as a prototype for the protein farm of the future,” and “demonstrates the making of protein and other ingredients using air, water and energy as inputs”. Ian Pinner, ADM’s senior VP of strategy and innovation, said: “With today’s agreement, we’re expanding our partnership to bring ADM’s industry-leading expertise in flavours and complete nutrition solutions to help expand the universe of applications in which Air Protein’s technology can be used. To sustainably feed a growing global population, we need a broad protein ecosystem, from animal to plant to other novel sources.” Air Protein’s founder and CEO, Dr Lisa Dyson, commented: “Air Protein is excited to extend our relationship with ADM, which has been a strong supporter and collaborator in our mutual mission to provide innovative protein solutions that can sustainably feed the growing global population. Their continued commitment to building a more sustainable food system has helped us significantly accelerate and scale our Bay Area Air Farm and other growth initiatives.” Dyson also announced that Air Protein had successfully concluded a regulatory review confirming its protein is GRAS – Generally Recognized as Safe – by the US Food and Drug Administration. You may also like to read: