New Zealand-based start-up Leaft Foods has partnered with retail cooperative Foodstuffs South Island (FSSI), to explore the use of its Rubisco leaf protein ingredient in a range of bakery products.

Leaft has begun commercial production of Leaf Rubisco Protein, a non-GMO and allergen-free ingredient extracted from Canterbury-grown alfalfa.

According to the start-up, the ingredient offers potential to take pressure off the supply and cost of eggs without compromising on taste, texture, quality, or requiring complex formulations in products such as cakes and muffins.

The agreement with FSSI will see the retailer, which has over 200 stores in New Zealand, work with Leaft to trial how its bakery teams can utilise Leaf Rubisco protein in place of egg across a variety of baked goods.

Leaft Foods’ CEO, Ross Milne, said the collaboration strengthened the ingredient’s commercial viability following investment from the New Zealand government in pioneering sustainable food production.

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He commented: “Its emulsion stability and gelling capability make it perform exactly like eggs in baked goods. This is South Island innovation at its purest – local ingenuity and expertise tackling local and global challenges.”

Daniel Te Raki, FSSI’s bakery operations manager, said the ingredient grabbed the retail group’s attention due to being a “great local innovation with the potential to change how some baked goods are made here”.

He added: “We wanted to get involved because it could help diversify where our ingredients come from and ultimately give more choice to our customers across the South Island. This partnership ticks those boxes and also presents the potential to strengthen the overall sustainability of baking and bakery products.”

According to Leaft Foods, its Rubisco protein matches animal proteins in digestibility and nutritional profile, and enables farmer-growers to diversify their land use.

The start-up is currently focused on accelerating its expansion with a focus on the US. It has attracted backers including Silicon Valley firm Khosla Ventures, NBA basketball star Steven Adams, indigenous investor Ngāi Tahu and ACC's Climate Change Impact Fund.