Someone in the alternative protein space is finally seriously betting on algae.

That someone is Tofurky, a producer of – as the name clearly suggests – meat alternatives made with tofu and tempeh. The Oregon-based company announced a partnership with Triton Algae Innovations to bring new algae products to market. 

Triton is a B2B supplier of algae ingredients that has developed a process to grow varieties of red algae with the right content of protein and Omega-3 amino acids for plant-based meats, without resorting to genetic engineering.

Although the two companies didn't disclose what products they will develop, they said that the target date for retail store rollout will be the first trimester of 2022, and that the new products will be co-branded. 

The ingredient will come from Triton’s line of red algae, called Essential Red, the most suitable for plant-based meat analogues.

This is important news for the algae industry. In spite of microalgae and seaweed being praised regularly as the protein superfood of the future, their role as protein source has been somewhat limited so far.

“Triton’s focus to date has been on new algae ingredients to food manufacturers,” said Xun Wang, CEO of Triton Algae Innovations. “This collaboration with Tofurky is an ideal platform for introducing them directly to consumers.”

“This is a unique and timely opportunity for us to combine our knowledge and understanding of the plant-based market with the nutrition and one-of-a-kind natural supply-chain technology created by Triton’s algae,” said Jaime Athos, president and CEO of Tofurky.

Triton also has a line of green and yellow algae ingredients. The company describes them as quite similar but with a different colour and with an aroma comparable to wheatgrass, dried parsley, and matcha.

Triton also developed non-GMO breeding techniques to produce heme and other meat-like compounds from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a single-cell green alga.

To learn more about Triton, visit their website tritonai.com or click on the button below to get in touch with them.