Rich Products Corporation and The EVERY Company announced a commercial partnership to develop and launch products featuring OvoPro™, a precision fermentation-derived protein ingredient. Rich's plans to integrate OvoPro™ into its product development pipeline as both a protein booster and functional binder across multiple categories.
The Ingredient's Dual Function OvoPro™ is pure ovalbumin—the primary functional protein found in egg white—produced through precision fermentation. According to the companies, the ingredient offers a dual value proposition: it increases protein content while simultaneously improving structural integrity, allowing formulators to reduce other lower-value ingredients without sacrificing texture or taste. The ingredient contains no fat, no cholesterol, and carries a neutral flavor profile. EVERY says it holds a perfect PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) of 1.0, indicating it contains all essential amino acids needed for muscle protein synthesis.
Formulation Applications OvoPro™ is designed to function across multiple applications: binding and structuring in baked goods, bars, and snacks; foaming and whipping in aerated applications; gelling in confections and high-protein desserts; and protein enrichment in pasta, nutritional products, and savory snacks. The ingredient remains shelf-stable for up to 18 months, requires no cold-chain transportation, and delivers favorable inclusion economics due to its high purity.
Market Significance Rich's, with annual sales exceeding $5.8 billion and operations across foodservice, bakery, appetizers, and prepared foods, represents a significant validation for precision fermentation at scale. The company's decision to integrate OvoPro™ into its development pipeline signals adoption beyond early-stage placements; EVERY has already reached consumers through Walmart and Target nationwide. "Rich's isn't a company that chases trends. They're a company that sets the standard for what the global food industry does next," said Arturo Elizondo, CEO of The EVERY Company. "When an industry giant of their scale chooses OvoPro™ as a core formulation solution, it tells the entire industry something important: precision fermentation is no longer the future of food. It's the present." Rich's Managing Director Dinsh Guzdar added: "Today's consumers expect protein in places it never used to live and in products we've built our reputation on. OvoPro™ gave our development team something we hadn't seen before: an ingredient that earns its place in a formulation twice over, as a functional ingredient and as a meaningful protein contributor. That's the kind of elegant solution that lets us say yes to where consumers are going."
Why It Matters
For foodservice operators and CPG manufacturers, this partnership underscores a shift in how high-protein formulations can be achieved. With whey protein facing supply and pricing pressures, fermentation-derived proteins offer an alternative that doesn't require compromising on functionality or requiring consumers to accept trade-offs in taste and texture—particularly in indulgent categories like baked goods where protein addition has historically been difficult.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
