Amyris Acquires Sweet Protein Firm Oobli to Scale Low-Sugar Ingredients

Amyris has acquired Oobli, a sweet protein developer, to expand access to natural sugar alternatives through industrial-scale production.

Amyris completed its acquisition of Oobli, a company specializing in sweet proteins like brazzein and monellin, for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to close within weeks, following Amyris' emergence from bankruptcy in May 2024. Oobli produces these proteins via precision fermentation using genetically engineered yeast, with all three compounds currently FDA GRAS approved as natural flavors. The proteins are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than sugar, bind directly to sweet taste receptors without causing blood sugar spikes, and are metabolized as protein—avoiding 'bioengineered' labeling in the U.S. due to no detectable modified genetic material in final products.

This acquisition leverages Amyris' 20+ years scaling food ingredients from lab to industrial production. Oobli's sweet proteins currently reduce sugar content in specific food applications (e.g., beverages, dairy), but the source does not confirm a universal 70% sugar reduction metric. Amyris offers partners flexible manufacturing options, including selective use of its Brazil facility, though Oobli continues using contract manufacturers.

For Sustenance, this move could eventually lower costs for sugar-reduced products by enabling wider adoption of natural sweeteners. However, current applications remain B2B-focused, with no immediate mass production shifts. The real impact depends on FDA approval for thaumatin (expected soon) and scaling production beyond Oobli's existing chocolate and beverage demos. What to watch: Oobli's path to commercializing these proteins at scale and whether the FDA's pending approval for thaumatin accelerates adoption. The source reports this November 2026—likely a typo—so current details are based on the latest verified data.

Source: AgFunder News