Israeli food-tech startup Plantopia has raised US$9 million in a funding round led by global dairy producer Schreiber Foods and food investment firm Siddhi Capital, marking a major step toward commercial production of animal-free dairy proteins. The funding will support the launch of the company’s manufacturing facility at Kibbutz Sdot Yam, scheduled to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026.
With this latest investment, Plantopia has raised more than US$16 million since its founding in 2018. (ctech)
Plantopia uses molecular farming technology, engineering plants to produce dairy proteins traditionally obtained from cows. Its first commercial product is casein, the key protein responsible for the structure and functionality of cheese.
The company claims to be the first platform to successfully produce all four major casein subtypes (αs1, αs2, β and κ), creating casein that is compositionally identical to cow’s milk while enabling the production of lactose-free dairy products without livestock. (ctech)
The company believes its indoor vertical farming approach eliminates the need for livestock, agricultural land and sunlight, while offering a more scalable alternative to fermentation-based protein production. Plantopia is targeting the North American casein market, which it estimates to be worth approximately US$50 billion. (ctech)
The investment comes amid growing global demand for dairy proteins, driven by changing consumer preferences and the increasing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications. According to Plantopia, around 12% of the U.S. population currently uses weight-management drugs, contributing to higher protein consumption. The company also notes that U.S. dairy protein consumption has increased by 83% over the past two years, while dairy protein prices have risen by 250%, highlighting strong market opportunities for alternative protein technologies. (ctech)
Source: Dairynews7x7 24 July, 2026 Read full article here
#DairyIndustry #FoodTech #AlternativeProteins #Casein #PrecisionAgriculture #FutureOfDairy #DairyNews7x7