Solar Foods’ protein from air and electricity enters US market with restaurant launch

Solar Foods is expanding its global outreach by launching its Solein protein in the US, calling it a “huge milestone” for the ingredient. The company has partnered with New York City restaurant Olmsted to introduce the protein in some selected dishes.

Solar Foods has also registered its production facility in Vantaa, Finland, with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and fulfilled other applicable requirements for commercializing the novel protein in the US.

The move makes the US the second market to sell the protein after Singapore, where it received regulatory approval in 2022.

“The US is one of the biggest protein-consuming markets in the world, with an extremely diverse food culture and consumer base in search of products to suit their dietary and nutritional needs,” says Juan Manuel Benitez-Garcia, chief commercial officer at Solar Foods.

“After the learnings we have received from test marketing in Singapore, we can’t wait to see the ways in which Solein will be used in the States.”

Solar Foods received the “self-affirmed GRAS status” for Solein in the US in September, leading to more chefs, food scientists and food industry professionals exploring its potential. New applications in F&B and nutrition are “immeasurable,” asserts Benitex-Garcia. 

Tapping Solein potential

Chef Greg Baxtrom at the Olmsted restaurant replaced traditional dairy products such as milk, butter and egg yolk with Solein. He created a four-course menu using the protein — Beer Battered Delicata Solein Squash Rings, Solein Brussels Sprout Spätzle, Solein Carrot Crepe and Old School Solein Chocolate Mousse. 

Solein can replace dairy in ice cream, gelato, cheese and yogurt.Solein dishes will be available at Olmsted until the end of this month.

However, this is not the first time Solein has been used in food applications. 

Earlier this year, Finnish company Fazer incorporated Solein in a vegan chocolate snack bar and Singaporean restaurant Chengdu Bowl introduced two Solein dishes from Sichuan cuisine to its menu in April.

In August, the alt-protein firm won a NASA food challenge for its protein, acknowledging its use as a potential food source during extended space missions. To grow its business globally, it later listed its shares on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland in September.

Replacing traditional protein

Solein is made by microbes cultured with electricity and carbon dioxide and is an innovative protein powder that “vanishes into foods.”

According to the company, the alt-protein is “nutritionally rich and culinarily extremely versatile” and can replace conventional protein in various foods.

The novel protein can replace egg in pasta, noodles, mayonnaises and dressings.“Solein is highly versatile: it can replace or complement animal and plant proteins in meat alternatives and replace dairy in ice cream, gelato, cheese and yogurt, where it provides a natural creaminess and mouthfeel,” explains Benitex-Garcia.

“It can replace egg in pasta, noodles, mayonnaises and dressings and because it is a fine dispersing powder, Solein can be used in soups, sauces or beverages to create a creamy consistency.”

These products have huge potential in the US since many consumers are also interested in health and performance benefits. Solein can enhance protein and nutrition in sports nutrition and lifestyle products, he adds.

Meanwhile, Solein production is claimed to be independent of weather and climate conditions, liberating global protein production from the constraints of traditional agriculture. Its formulation requires only “renewable energy, air, water and a small amount of minerals,” underscores the company.