NEW TECH FOODS

Cell-based dairy start-up Opalia has announced its first commercial sale, signing a strategic agreement with global dairy supplier Hoogwegt to bring the world’s first cell-based milk products to market.

The two-year deal marks a major milestone for Opalia as it prepares to scale up and commercialise its proprietary dairy platform. The agreement represents the first-ever sale of cell-based dairy and a step forward for the broader cellular agriculture industry, which has yet to achieve commercial traction at scale.

Under the terms of the agreement, Opalia’s milk – developed without cows through cellular cultivation – will be used to create new dairy products showcasing the technology’s versatility. Hoogwegt, one of the world’s largest privately held dairy ingredient companies, will leverage its global reach across more than 130 countries to support the rollout.

Founded in 2020, Opalia has raised a total of $3 million from investors including Hoogwegt, Big Idea Ventures and Sustainable Food Ventures. The company has also attracted letters of intent from several major food and dairy players, and says it is progressing toward cost parity by eliminating foetal bovine serum (FBS) from its production process – a key challenge in scaling cell-based dairy.

Opalia’s CEO, Jennifer Côté, said: "Hoogwegt’s purchase order to support Opalia’s development of the world’s first cell-based dairy development reflects their trust and commitment in our pioneering technology. Hoogwegt’s proven expertise in dairy product development and global dairy markets, as well as their commitment to sustainability, aligns perfectly with our strategic goals, and we are confident that this purchase order will allow us to commercialize the world’s first cell-based dairy products.”

Sander Hulsebos, CEO of Hoogwegt, commented: "After already having invested in Opalia, this commercial purchase agreement between Opalia and Hoogwegt is a next major step towards establishing Opalia as a strategic supplier of cell-based milk in Hoogwegt’s future sustainable dairy supply chain".

Opalia is currently working with regulators to begin showcasing its milk at tasting events and is actively seeking commercial partners and investors interested in decarbonising their supply chains.

Top image: © Opalia