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Moolec Science, a start-up developing alternative proteins using molecular farming technology, has acquired ValoraSoy for $6 million. ValoraSoy is a plant-based food ingredient business dedicated to the production and commercialisation of functional soy proteins. The acquisition will support Moolec's growth in the food ingredients industry by adding to its commercial network and providing its molecular farming platform with industrial capacity, downstream operations and an experienced team of professionals. Food ingredient capabilities acquired from ValoraSoy include industrial facilities with a processing capacity of 10,000 tons located in one of the main Argentine soybean corridors; a team of technicians, engineers, agronomists and plant-based professionals; and commercial channels in more than 14 countries on three different continents. Henk Hoogenkamp, chief product officer and co-founder of Moolec, said: "We believe plant-based technologies and molecular farming together have the power to contribute towards global food security. Moolec is developing the plant proteins of the future by using highly efficient high-protein crops, in this case soybeans, to produce a wide variety of proteins naturally found in animals." He added: “Combining these crops with ValoraSoy's capabilities, we can accelerate our technology rollout but also specifically target certain solutions by incorporating real-time feedback from existing customers around the globe. Leveraging this position, we can consolidate our Molecular Farming platform and lower the cost of protein-rich foods as we drive functionality, nutrition, and affordability for the up-and-coming economies of the world."