Enifer enters pet food market with mycoprotein expansion

Finnish biotech company Enifer is moving into the pet food market with its PEKILO mycoprotein as it prepares to launch a commercial-scale fermentation facility in Finland later this year. According to AgFunderNews, the company has partnered with pet food manufacturer Rovio to develop semi-moist dog treats while also expanding its ambitions into aquaculture and human nutrition.

The company’s new biomass fermentation plant in Kantvik, Finland, is expected to begin operations during the second half of the year. The facility represents a major step for Enifer as it seeks to scale production of PEKILO, a fungal-based protein ingredient designed as a sustainable alternative for animal feed and food applications.

Speaking to AgFunderNews, Enifer cofounder and CEO Simo Ellilä said the new plant will allow the company to increase customer deliveries and continue reducing production costs. “This is a key milestone for us as it enables consistent production at scale, customer deliveries, and continued cost optimization,” he explained.

The collaboration with Finnish pet food company Rovio marks one of the first commercial applications for PEKILO in the pet sector. The ingredient is being tested in dog treats to evaluate functionality, palatability and manufacturing performance.

According to the company, a recent 60-day feeding study in dogs showed positive results. Enifer reported high digestibility, strong palatability and no negative effects on stool quality. The company also identified early indicators linked to immune function and oxidative balance.

The long-term objective is broader commercialization across the pet food industry and eventually the human food market. Enifer believes PEKILO could be used in products ranging from meat and dairy alternatives to snack bars and processed foods.

As reported by AgFunderNews, the company has already formed partnerships with major industry players including Purina, Valio and aquafeed producer Skretting, the aquaculture division of Nutreco.

One of Enifer’s key advantages is its ability to work with different industrial side streams as feedstocks. The Kantvik facility will initially use sugar industry byproducts, but the company is also exploring dairy side streams such as lactose through its partnership with Valio.

“The flexibility of using different feedstocks is one of the key strengths of our technology,” Ellilä told AgFunderNews. He added that adapting production to local industrial resources improves both sustainability and economic performance.

Enifer is also expanding internationally. The company recently partnered with Brazilian ethanol producer FS to study the use of thin stillage, a corn ethanol byproduct, as a feedstock for PEKILO production. A demonstration plant with a projected annual capacity of 500 tons is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

PEKILO itself is not a completely new concept. The mycoprotein was commercially produced between 1975 and 1991 as a feed ingredient for pigs and poultry. Enifer, which was spun out from Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre in 2020, modernized the process and adapted it for multiple feedstocks and modern food applications.

The protein-rich powder contains fiber, has a neutral flavor and color, and can be transported at room temperature. Initially, Enifer is focusing on pet food and aquaculture, sectors considered faster entry points for commercialization.

At the same time, the company is pursuing regulatory approvals in major markets. According to Ellilä, Enifer submitted its dossier to the US Food and Drug Administration after achieving self-affirmed GRAS status last year.

The company believes the growing demand for sustainable proteins, combined with the need to reduce food industry waste streams, could create a significant market opportunity for fermentation-based ingredients like PEKILO.