How Fermelanta uses microbes to unlock rare plant ingredients

Japanese startup Fermelanta, founded in 2022 and led by Shogo Fukizaki, is developing a platform to produce rare plant compounds using engineered microbes. As reported by AgFunderNews, the company can introduce more than 20 genes into a single bacterial strain, enabling efficient, large-scale production of complex molecules previously difficult to manufacture.

The company’s core innovation lies in replicating plant metabolic pathways inside microorganisms, particularly fast-growing bacteria such as E. coli. This allows Fermelanta to produce compounds traditionally sourced from plants—often in low quantities and at high cost—through single-step microbial fermentation.

“We really have the process down to enable companies to make ingredients that are already existing more efficiently and more cheaply but also enter new markets that just weren’t available before by using this technology,” said Lucas Mixich, business development manager, in statements reported by AgFunderNews.

Unlike conventional biotech approaches that rely on one or two genes, Fermelanta introduces dozens of genes into a single cell, recreating complex biochemical pathways. This enables the production of secondary plant metabolites, including those used in pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics.

“The introduction of dozens of genes is key, because we have a proprietary tool to efficiently introduce that number of genes,” explained Fukizaki.

One of the main advantages of this approach is process efficiency. Traditional methods often require multiple fermentation steps to build complex molecules. Fermelanta’s platform consolidates this into a single, streamlined process, reducing time and cost.

The technology also avoids reliance on tools such as CRISPR, instead using proprietary methods to insert genetic material. This expands the range of molecules that can be produced and allows the company to build a broader pipeline of products.

The initial focus has been on essential medicines, including compounds such as morphine, which are derived from plants and can be difficult to scale. However, demand is growing in other sectors.

“We have also seen a huge interest in rare ingredients for other markets… rare flavors, rare fragrances or supplement ingredients,” Mixich said.

Fermelanta’s platform is designed to be flexible. While it develops its own products, the company is also open to collaborations with external partners in food, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.

This reflects a broader industry trend toward biomanufacturing, where biological systems are used to produce high-value ingredients more sustainably and reliably than traditional extraction methods.

A key reason for choosing microbial systems over plant cell cultures is speed and scalability. Plant cells typically grow slowly and are difficult to manage in industrial processes. In contrast, bacterial systems such as E. coli are fast-growing, easy to cultivate, and cost-efficient.

This makes them a more practical platform for producing complex natural compounds at scale, especially when demand is high or supply chains are unstable.

Although Fermelanta was officially founded in 2022, its technology is built on more than 20 years of academic research in bacterial engineering. This foundation has enabled the company to move quickly despite its recent entry into the market.

The long-term impact could be significant. By unlocking access to rare plant-derived molecules, Fermelanta has the potential to reshape industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to food and cosmetics, making previously scarce ingredients more accessible.

As the demand for natural and sustainable ingredients continues to grow, technologies that combine synthetic biology, fermentation, and scalable production are expected to play a central role. Fermelanta’s multi-gene platform positions it as a key player in this emerging space.