The article discusses a startup called Formo, which has developed a new type of cheese made from fungi-based fermentation. The company has raised funding in its B round, with a combination of existing and new investors participating. The CEO, Plewka, notes that the fungus-based product allows them to get to market quickly and generate revenue while they work on developing more complex products using precision fermentation.
Some key points mentioned in the article include:
- Formo’s cheese is made from koji (Aspergillus oryzae), a type of fungus commonly used in traditional Asian food production.
- The company has developed a process to ferment the koji to produce a protein-rich cheese alternative that can be melted and stretched like dairy cheese.
- Formo plans to use this technology as a stepping stone to develop more complex products using precision fermentation, such as casein proteins to create meltable hard cheeses.
- The company aims to reach net profitability soon, despite only launching its first products last week.
The article also mentions other companies working on similar technologies, such as France’s Bon Vivant and Finland’s Solar Foods.
