German VC invests in palm oil alternative

In the United Kingdom, Doehler Ventures has made an unspecified investment in Clean Food Group, a startup working on a fermentation-based alternative to palm oil.

The German venture capital group will also collaborate with Clean Food Group and provide know-how in process scale-up.

According to Innovations in Food Technology, the global market for palm oil was valued at over $50 billion in 2021 and is growing quickly—but at an environmental cost. Palm oil consumption is linked to deforestation that further threatens endangered species like orangutans and Sumatran rhinos. It also contributes to climate change. Palm oil ingredients are found in nearly half of all packaged products in supermarkets, the publication adds.