Döhler begins commercial production of SB1 postbiotic protein in Europe

The production is taking place at Döhler’s facility in the Netherlands, with spray drying carried out in Germany, following a full technology transfer process. Döhler Ventures has also made an undisclosed investment in Superbrewed and will collaborate with the company to increase manufacturing capacity and advance wider commercialization in 2027.

SB1 is described as a non-GMO bacterium-based ingredient containing more than 88% protein. It offers a neutral taste and color, stability across different pH levels and temperatures, and emulsification functionality suitable for beverages, snacks and dairy-style applications. In the United States, it is labeled as “postbiotic cultured protein.” The ingredient received a GRAS “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2024.

Rodrigo Hortega de Velasco, managing partner at Döhler Ventures, said SB1 represents “a differentiated innovation in the evolving protein landscape.” He added: “Through commercial manufacturing and strategic investment, we are committed to supporting SB1 as it scales globally.”

Superbrewed Food has collaborated with companies including Fonterra and Bel Brands, owner of Babybel and GoGo Squeez, as it explores applications ranging from protein beverages to yogurts and snacks.

Founder and CEO Dr. Bryan Tracy described the move into industrial production as a milestone for the fermentation space. “This is a truly novel ingredient that has crossed into industrial production through a partner-led, capital-efficient model rather than asset-heavy scale-up,” he said. Referring to the broader foodtech context, he added that achieving commercial-scale output “feels like a meaningful signal—even a beacon of hope, dare I say.”

According to Tracy, third-party academic institutions including Maastricht, Utrecht and Wageningen universities have validated SB1’s allergenicity profile, functionality and nutritional performance compared to whey protein isolate in human clinical trials focused on muscle protein synthesis.

One of the product’s selling points is its capacity to deliver high protein concentrations without significantly affecting texture. Tracy noted: “Let’s say you wanted to get as much as 35g of fully digestible protein into a beverage, even with dairy products, you’re going to need 12oz [of liquid]. In the plant-based world, you’re going to need 16oz, because it gets really viscous. With SB1, you could put 35g of protein in five ounces of water and the texture would still be very nice.”

Scaling strategy and manufacturing model

Tracy also addressed the operational realities of scaling fermentation technologies. “We have done the full tech transfer into Döhler’s facility [in the Netherlands, followed by spray drying in Germany] and now produce reliable, reproducible, high quality, hygienic products,” he said.

He cautioned that some contract manufacturing agreements in the sector may underestimate the capital requirements and technical complexity involved. “You’re not going to find a facility that has every last piece of equipment that you need. Maybe they have microfiltration capabilities, but not the exact type you’ll need,” he stated, emphasizing that tailored investments are often required.

Unlike many precision fermentation companies that extract a specific target protein and leave residual biomass, Superbrewed harvests the entire microbial biomass to create what it describes as a whole food ingredient. The process also generates butyric acid as a co-product, for which an established market already exists.

The bacterium used by Superbrewed naturally produces high levels of protein when grown in anaerobic conditions using sugars from various feedstocks. The microorganisms are fully deactivated in the final ingredient. According to Tracy, the product meets the definition of “postbiotic” outlined by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, which describes it as “a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host.”

As fermentation startups face tighter funding conditions and higher scrutiny from investors, the entry of SB1 into commercial production signals a step toward industrial maturity for biomass-derived proteins. With strategic backing from Döhler and regulatory clearance in the US, Superbrewed is now seeking additional financing to repurpose a larger anaerobic fermentation facility in the United States to meet longer-term growth targets.