Cosaic: making better food formulations with one multifunctional yeast ingredient

Creating food that is nutritious, sustainable and appealing is a difficult balancing act. This is particularly true for plant-based dairy alternatives, where delivering the creaminess, texture and flavour consumers expect remains a technical challenge. Research shows that these sensory qualities are important drivers of consumer acceptance, while manufacturers must also balance nutrition, stability and demand for simpler ingredient lists. (1)(2)

Cosaic is tackling these challenges together. Its flagship ingredient, Cosaic Neo, is a natural emulsion produced from non-GMO yeast through biomass fermentation. Its unique microstructure brings fats, proteins and fibres together in a single ingredient, providing multiple functions that would typically require several separate ingredients.

Cosaic has moved Cosaic Neo from R&D towards market readiness, demonstrating it across dairy and plant-based applications. In late 2025, a strategic go-to-market partnership with Ingredion provided commercial validation and a route to global food manufacturers. 

In 2026, Cosaic raised a US$6 million seed extension led by dsm-firmenich Ventures to advance regulatory approval, scale production and run industrial trials. 

Across its funding rounds, the company has raised approximately €11.0–11.5 million to support development and commercialisation.

The impact is in doing more with less. In some applications, Cosaic Neo can replace up to 10 ingredients, simplifying formulations and reducing dependence on multiple inputs. 

In plant-based protein shakes, it can help increase protein content from around 25g to 43g per serving (+72%) without sacrificing taste. 

For consumers, that can mean cleaner labels, improved nutrition and a better eating experience. For manufacturers, fewer ingredients can support more efficient, resilient production while enabling products designed for healthier and more sustainable diets.

EIT Food supported Cosaic through the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) and RisingFoodStars.

FAN connected the company with mentorship, investor-readiness support, industry expertise and a Europe-wide food innovation network, helping it validate the technology and sharpen its commercial strategy. RisingFoodStars added visibility, credibility and access to industry and investor networks. 

These programmes helped Cosaic build relationships with food manufacturers, corporate partners, investors and research organisations, supporting product validation, business development and its path towards market readiness.

1. Solve several formulation needs together: multifunctionality can simplify recipes as well as improve performance.
2. Validate with industry early: strategic partnerships can turn technical progress into a route to market.
3. Keep the consumer experience central: nutrition and sustainability only scale when taste and texture work too.

Cosaic is now preparing for commercial launch in international markets. The next phase depends on regulatory approval, production scale-up and successful industrial trials. 

Its Ingredion partnership and 2026 financing provide a foundation for that growth, with the potential to bring Cosaic Neo into more food and beverage categories and help manufacturers reformulate products at scale.

1. Mekanna, A. N., Issa, A., Bogueva, D., & Bou-Mitri, C. (2024). Consumer perception of plant-based milk alternatives: Systematic review. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 59(11), 8796–8805. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.17517 OUP Academic
2. Jaeger, S. R., Dupas de Matos, A., Frempomaa Oduro, A., & Hort, J. (2024). Sensory characteristics of plant-based milk alternatives: Product characterisation by consumers and drivers of liking. Food Research International, 180, Article 114093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114093