With High-Protein Nutrition Now Mainstream, Lyon's Verley Raises €32 Million to Expand Production

With the rise of health and wellness trends, high-protein nutrition has become a mainstream expectation across categories. In response to this growing demand, Lyon-based startup Verley has secured an impressive €32 million in Series A funding to expand its production of high-performance whey proteins through precision fermentation.

This round was led by Alven, with participation from Blast and the French Tech Seed fund, as well as past investors including Sofinnova, Sparkfood, Captech, and Founders Future. This oversubscribed round positions Verley as a leading player in the precision fermentation and functional protein ingredient funding landscape in Europe.

Founded in 2022, Verley's mission is to address the global demand for high-quality nutrition while preserving the planet's natural resources. With the dairy industry facing increasing pressure, Verley's innovative approach using precision fermentation technology is set to revolutionize the industry.

The global protein market is expected to continue its upward trend, reaching a value of €26.9 billion ($31.8 billion) in 2025. This is due to demographic growth, evolving dietary habits, and the rapid expansion of GLP-1 treatments, which have increased the demand for high-quality, digestible protein ingredients.

Verley's functional whey protein ingredients, marketed under the FermWhey range, are specifically designed to deliver the nutritional and functional performance expected by food and nutrition manufacturers. These ingredients have been engineered for performance in real-world formulations such as high-protein yoghurts and protein shots, with advanced solubility, emulsification, and gelling properties, and optimized nutritional profiles.

Key Advantages of Verley's Precision Fermentation Technology

• Requires only a fraction of the natural resources used in conventional production methods
• Addresses the growing demand from manufacturers and consumers for reduced-impact products

Funding Plans and Key Takeaways

• The funding will primarily support Verley's entry into the US market, including commercial deployment and early customer scale-up, as well as a ramp-up of production capacities.
• The company will also continue investing in research and development to further enhance the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of its technologies.
• French startup Verley has raised €32 million in Series A funding to expand its production of high-performance whey proteins through precision fermentation.
• The round was led by Alven, with participation from Blast and the French Tech Seed fund, as well as past investors.
• Verley's mission is to address the growing global demand for high-quality nutrition while preserving the planet's natural resources.
• The global protein market is expected to reach €26.9 billion in 2025, with increasing demand for high-quality, digestible protein ingredients.
• Verley's functional whey protein ingredients are designed for performance in real-world formulations and require only a fraction of the natural resources used in conventional production.
• The funding will support Verley's US market entry and further investment in research and development.

Source: With High-Protein Nutrition Now Mainstream, Lyon's Verley Raises €32 Million to Expand Production