NNB Nutrition has partnered with Axiom Foods to commercialize PeptiClear™, a platform of hydrolyzed plant proteins engineered for clarity, solubility, and neutral flavor — positioning the offering as a functional, supply-chain-stable alternative to whey for food and beverage manufacturers navigating constrained dairy ingredient markets.
The announcement arrives as whey protein, long the benchmark for high-protein formulation, faces structural supply limitations rooted in its dependence on dairy and cheese co-production volumes. Large multinationals with long-term procurement contracts have largely insulated themselves from spot-market volatility, but emerging brands and mid-tier co-manufacturers are encountering higher costs and allocation pressures that make it difficult to compete in the high-protein segment.
What PeptiClear Delivers
Conventional plant proteins — including pea, rice, and soy — have historically underperformed in applications requiring visual clarity, light mouthfeel, or clean flavor, limiting their use in ready-to-drink beverages, condiments, and confectionery. PeptiClear™ addresses those formulation barriers through hydrolysis, producing highly concentrated protein fractions with improved solubility and a significantly more neutral sensory profile. Axiom Foods, which also supplies plant-protein-based milk systems as dairy protein substitutes, provides the underlying raw-material infrastructure for the platform.
Target application categories are broad: functional beverages, RTD products, ice cream and frozen desserts, sauces and dressings, baked goods, high-protein snacks, and everyday functional foods. That range is notable given that most clear plant-protein technologies have historically been positioned narrowly within sports nutrition or premium beverage segments. By entering mainstream food categories, PeptiClear™ competes directly with whey protein concentrate and isolate specifications that have dominated those formulation briefs for more than a decade. Brands exploring plant-based protein sourcing or seeking supply diversification will find the expanded application scope commercially relevant.
DL-185 and the Anabolic Gap
Paired with PeptiClear™, NNB is also commercializing DL-185®, a dietary di-leucine peptide — two leucine molecules linked in peptide form — designed to enhance the anabolic signaling of plant-based protein formulations. The ingredient addresses a well-documented limitation of plant proteins: lower leucine bioavailability relative to whey, which limits muscle protein synthesis (MPS) response.
In peer-reviewed human clinical research (Paulussen et al., Journal of Applied Physiology, 2021), DL-185® demonstrated approximately 60% greater stimulation of MPS compared with equivalent leucine supplementation. A subsequent study (Hagele et al., PLOS ONE, 2024) reported greater strength improvements in resistance-trained individuals receiving DL-185® versus leucine alone. NNB states the ingredient can be incorporated into both finished dietary supplements and food products using processing parameters similar to standard leucine.
"NNB believes the future of protein isn't about replacing whey — it's about expanding the world's ability to deliver high-quality protein across every food format," said Dustin Elliott, Chief Brand Officer at NNB Nutrition. "As consumer demand continues to outpace traditional dairy supply, the industry needs innovative solutions that combine functionality, scalability, and performance."
Supply Context and Market Outlook
The strategic timing of the PeptiClear™ launch reflects broader pressures in global protein ingredient markets. The so-called "proteinification" of the food supply — extending protein enrichment beyond sports nutrition into snacking, dairy alternatives, condiments, and center-store staples — has structurally outpaced the capacity of whey-based supply chains to respond. NNB's dual-ingredient platform attempts to serve both the clean-label, plant-forward positioning that retail buyers now routinely require and the performance credentials that functional food and sports nutrition formulation teams demand from premium actives.
For procurement and R&D teams evaluating the platform, specification sheets, COA documentation, and application support are available through NNB's commercial contacts. The Food & Beverage Magazine network continues to track ingredient innovation across the protein category as whey supply dynamics evolve heading into 2027.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
