Revyve Sustainable ingredients from microorganisms

Revyve, co-founded by former assistent professor at Wageningen University & Research Corjan van den Berg, creates sustainable food ingredients from natural microorganisms, mainly yeast. Together with co-founder Edgar Suarez Garcia, Corjan developed an innovative, eco-friendly alternative to egg whites, by extracting proteins in a unique way. Originally working with microalgae, they switched to yeast due to its abundance in the food industry. Today, Revyve is scaling up production in its new factory and aims to transform the food system through microbial ingredients.

Hidden egg problem

The idea was born from a mix of frustration and conviction: why wasn’t anyone doing this already? It was clear to Corjan and Edgar that producing ingredients from microbes was not only possible, but necessary. At the heart of Revyve’s work is what they call “the hidden egg problem.” Most consumers don’t realize how many everyday foods rely on animal-based ingredients, especially egg whites. From mayonnaise and pancake mixes to meat substitutes and surimi, eggs are used for their exceptional binding and emulsifying properties. Yet these ingredients come with a high environmental cost.

Plant-based alternatives like soy or pea protein often fall short functionally. That’s where microorganisms come in. Revyve uses yeast to produce functional proteins that can replace egg whites without compromising performance. Their goal is to remove these hidden animal-based ingredients from our food, something most consumers are unaware of, but that has a major impact on the planet.

Reducing the carbon footprint

For Revyve, the mission is simple: reduce the food system’s carbon footprint. And to do that, we must reduce our dependence on animals. Whether it’s eggs, milk, or meat, replacing them with better, scalable alternatives is key. Revyve believes microbial ingredients offer that solution, and they’re proving it one product at a time.

The company opened its first production facility in the Netherlands, capable of producing the equivalent of 20 million eggs per year. While that’s just a fraction of the 1.6 trillion eggs used globally, it marks a crucial first step. The next phase is scaling, refining their factory blueprint and rolling it out internationally.

Shaping the future of food

Looking ahead, Revyve’s dream is to create a whole new category of food ingredients made from microorganisms, yeast, bacteria, fungi, and beyond, and to see them used worldwide. It’s a long-term vision that could take decades to fully implement, but one that could fundamentally reshape the global food system.

Revyve is fully committed to the protein transition, shifting away from animal-based proteins to more sustainable, efficient alternatives. For Corjan and his team, impact is everything. “I want to leave the world better than I found it,” he says. “That’s what drives us: building a better, more sustainable food system, and doing work that truly matters.”

Support from StartLife and Starthub Wageningen

The people from Starthub Wageningen and StartLife play a crucial bridging role between science and entrepreneurship. StartHub inspires and initiates, StartLife builds and accelerates. According to Corjan, they come from a completely different world than scientists, and that’s exactly what makes them valuable. Their strength lies in translating scientific ideas into viable business concepts, offering essential knowledge and support to those looking to take the leap into entrepreneurship. They understand where researchers are coming from and can help pull them out of their academic bubble.

Message to young innovators: dare to take the leap

Some people are just diehard researchers and entrepreneurship might not be for them. That is perfectly fine. But I bet there are quite some PhD students, post docs, and students out there that are playing around with the idea of setting up their own company. Corjan’s message to them: “If you feel the urge to build something real from your idea or research insights, don’t ignore it. You don’t need to have all the answers, just enough conviction to start. Use examples around you, find support, and don’t be afraid to try. The world needs your ideas.”