UK-based biotechnology company Mycofeast has acquired New Zealand precision-fermentation startup Daisy Lab, expanding its portfolio into animal-free dairy proteins and strengthening its capabilities in high-value ingredients for nutrition and food applications.
Daisy Lab develops recombinant whey proteins using precision fermentation, a process in which microorganisms are engineered to produce specific proteins. Its most advanced programme focuses on bovine lactoferrin, a high-value milk protein associated with iron regulation and used in specialised nutrition products.
The acquisition will bring Daisy Lab’s technology and scientific team into Mycofeast’s wider operations. The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the transaction. Daisy Lab’s founders will take on roles across the Mycofeast group, while its scientific team will continue developing and scaling its lactoferrin technology. Co-founder and CEO Irina Miller confirmed that the acquisition would not result in layoffs.
Founded in 2023, Daisy Lab has developed expertise in lactoferrin and other whey proteins, including beta-lactoglobulin. The company installed a 500-litre fermenter in early 2026 to advance fermentation and downstream-processing scale-up. It has also produced recombinant human lactoferrin at laboratory scale, although that programme was paused while the company focused on bovine lactoferrin.
Lactoferrin is a specialised protein found in bovine colostrum and human milk. Its limited availability through conventional extraction methods contributes to its high cost, creating an opportunity for precision fermentation to improve production capacity and potentially reduce costs.
For Mycofeast, the acquisition adds a dairy-protein platform to its existing capabilities in strain development, biosynthesis, enzyme design, fermentation scale-up and industrial manufacturing. The company also operates Evolutia Bio, its research and development subsidiary in California, and a fermentation facility in Europe with a reported capacity of 16 million litres.
Mycofeast CEO Witek Hruzewicz said the company aims to connect biotechnology research with process development, industrial manufacturing and commercial markets. He described Daisy Lab’s dairy-protein platform, scale-up experience and scientific team as complementary to Mycofeast’s existing operations.
The combined group plans to focus on further scaling and optimising bovine lactoferrin, regulatory submissions, customer trials and transferring the production process into Mycofeast’s manufacturing infrastructure over the next 12 months. The companies have not yet disclosed specific launch dates or target markets.
The deal comes amid consolidation in the alternative-protein sector, where companies are seeking stronger manufacturing capabilities, access to capital and routes to commercialisation. For the dairy industry, precision-fermented proteins represent a developing ingredient category that could complement conventional dairy-derived ingredients, particularly in specialised nutrition applications.
The commercial outlook will depend on production economics, regulatory approvals, customer acceptance and the ability to manufacture at scale. The acquisition gives Daisy Lab access to a broader industrial platform, while adding a new category of high-value proteins to Mycofeast’s business.
Source: Dairynews7x7 16 Oct, 2026 Read full story here
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