How One Company is Revolutionizing Vegan Cheese with Fermentation

Berlin-based biotech company Formo may have found a breakthrough in vegan cheese, tapping into the power of Koji, a fungus used in Japanese cuisine for centuries. This tiny organism, known for its role in soy sauce and miso, is now the foundation of Formo’s dairy-free cheeses.

Formo’s co-founder and CEO, Raffael Wohlgensinger, launched the company five years ago with sustainability in mind. Traditional cheese production requires significant resources and generates greenhouse gases, while Formo’s approach uses less land and water, resulting in fewer emissions. Wohlgensinger, frustrated with the vegan cheese options available, saw an opportunity to create something better.

Many vegans and vegetarians find cheese the hardest food to give up, Wohlgensinger said, because the flavor is difficult to replicate. Ana Masiá from Novonesis echoed this sentiment, noting that plant-based cheeses often miss the mark. “The code has not been cracked yet,” she explained.

Formo’s solution lies in fermentation. By placing Koji in a tank with oxygen, sugar, and nutrients, the company cultivates proteins in large quantities. These proteins are extracted and dried into a powder that forms the base for various cheeses, including cream cheese, blue, and feta varieties. According to Wohlgensinger, the Koji protein provides a creamier texture that plant proteins struggle to match.

In September, Formo secured $61 million in funding and announced plans to sell three cream cheese flavors in over 2,000 stores across Germany and Austria. Partnerships with major supermarket chains like REWE, BILLA, and METRO marked a significant milestone for the company, with plans to expand further into Europe and the US by 2026.

Formo is also exploring precision fermentation, a method that uses genetically engineered microorganisms to produce casein, the key protein in dairy cheese. This process could give vegan cheese the stretch and melt consumers expect. However, regulatory approval remains a hurdle, with Wohlgensinger optimistic about the future.

Animal agriculture accounts for roughly 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with dairy cows contributing methane, a potent pollutant. Formo aims to reduce costs and make its products more affordable than dairy cheese. Currently, Formo’s cream cheese costs slightly more than its dairy-based counterpart, but Wohlgensinger hopes increased production will lower prices.

Despite challenges, the company believes fermentation can bridge the gap between sustainability and taste. “We’re not here to put small-scale dairy farmers out of their business,” Wohlgensinger said. “I think there is a very big chunk of the market… that is bound to be replaced by a more efficient technology.”

As consumer demand grows, Formo’s innovative approach could reshape the cheese industry, offering a delicious, sustainable alternative for cheese lovers worldwide.

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