Clean Food Group: A New Funding Round for Food Sustainability

Clean Food Group (CFG), a UK-based biotechnology manufacturer, has announced the completion of a £4.5 million investment round. The funding was led by Clean Growth Fund and New Agrarian, two prominent players in sustainable investments. This is complemented by a £700,000 non-dilutive grant secured from Innovate UK, further strengthening the company's financial position.

This capital injection is intended to support CFG's long-term vision: to transform the global food system by making it more sustainable and resilient. The company focuses on producing essential oils and fats through fermentation processes, utilizing food waste feedstocks and scalable yeast strains as raw materials. This innovative approach offers a tangible alternative to traditional ingredients, which are often linked to less sustainable practices.

Technology and Scalability for Global Impact

Founded in 2022, following eight years of pioneering research, CFG has developed technology that enables the production of oils and fats from food waste. The core of the process lies in the use of scalable yeast strains and advanced fermentation technology. These elements allow for the creation of sustainable alternatives to oils and fats commonly used in industry.

The company has already validated its manufacturing process at scale, demonstrating the feasibility and efficiency of its solution. A crucial strategic step for CFG's future will be the acquisition, planned for 2025, of a 1 million litre fermentation facility in Knowsley, Liverpool. This infrastructural expansion is vital for increasing production capacity and meeting growing demand.

Collaborations and Market Prospects

Clean Food Group has already established strategic and industrial collaborations with leading global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and ingredients manufacturers. This network of partnerships highlights strong market interest in CFG's solutions and a robust demand pipeline for its products.

Further indicating the company's commercial potential is the approval, anticipated for 2025, of its CleanOil™ 25 product for use as a cosmetics ingredient in the UK, US, and Europe. According to Tom Ellen, Chief Financial Officer of Clean Food Group, the capital raised will enable the company to bring on-stream the world’s largest yeast-derived oils and fats facility, realizing the vision for sustainable food manufacturing. Rodrigo Hortega de Velasco, Managing Partner at Döhler Ventures, emphasized how CFG has "consistently demonstrated both the strength of its technology and the commercial potential of its sustainable oils and fats platform."

Supply Chain Resilience: A Response to Current Challenges

Jim Mellon, Chairman and Founder of New Agrarian, highlighted how supply chain fragility represents one of the most significant risks of our time. Events such as conflicts, climate volatility, and trade disputes are posing immense challenges to manufacturers, making the availability of ingredients once considered guaranteed now uncertain.

In this context, Clean Food Group positions itself as a strategic solution. By utilizing scalable science and technology, the company aims to build genuine resilience and sustainability into the production and sourcing of key ingredients, ranging from the food sector to cosmetics. Mellon concluded by stating that the investment in CFG represents a rare opportunity, combining a compelling investment case with a genuine solution to one of the most pressing challenges of our generation.