Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based food tech startup making animal-free dairy proteins through precision fermentation. Founded in 2021, the company produces whey and casein without cows, tackling the environmental impact of traditional dairy farming.
Cofounder and CEO Irina Miller talks to Future of Foods Interviews. Daisy Lab has made good progress secured NZD $1.5 million in 2023 seed funding to scale microbial whey protein production. By early 2024, the company successfully produced whey proteins in 10-liter fermenters, moving toward commercial viability.
A major breakthrough came in mid-2024 when New Zealand's Environmental Protection Authority approved a 500-fold production scale-up, paving the way for a 1,000-liter pilot plant.
Daisy Lab’s precision fermentation uses genetically modified yeast to produce dairy-identical proteins, offering a sustainable alternative with up to 96% lower carbon emissions and 92% less land use than conventional dairy.
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