Lypid Says Phytofat Is ‘the Secret Sauce’, Extends ‘Open Invitation’ to Food Service

San Francisco’s innovative food tech company, Lypid, has announced its entry into U.S. food service and B2B markets this month with the debut of its revolutionary plant-based PhytoFat.

To provide an authentic meaty experience to plant-based food, Lypid says its PhytoFat offers a rich, delectable flavor profile and a gratifying mouthfeel, adding a new dimension to plant-based cuisine. This novel product recently clinched the coveted “Ingredient Innovation” award at the 2023 World Food Innovation Awards, hosted by FoodBev Media.

The launch follows the March release of Lypid’s pork belly made with PhtyoFat. The company raised $4 million in Seed funding last year.

‘Secret sauce’

Crafted with 97 percent plant-based oils and water, PhytoFat deploys cutting-edge microencapsulation technology. Lypid has designed a healthier, more sustainable plant-based fat alternative that captures the savory taste of animal fat, creating an unmatched taste experience in the plant-based food landscape.

“With our PhytoFat, we have brought the secret sauce back to the dining table by creating a plant-based fat that maintains animal-like qualities,” Dr. Michelle Lee, Co-founder and CTO of Lypid, said in a statement. “Our proprietary blend enhances the texture and flavor delivery of plant-based meat. PhytoFat also provides a better nutritional profile, allowing a reduction of both calories and saturated fat compared to animal fat.”

Lypid says the absence of artificial additives, hydrogenation, or transfats in PhytoFat makes it a superior choice in the rapidly expanding plant-based market. Offering a high melting point, PhytoFat resembles animal-based fats for a transformative culinary experience.

Expanding the designer fat market

Lypid has extended an open invitation to chefs and food companies worldwide to collaborate by using the fat in their plant-based offerings. Lypid says the versatility of pork- and beef-flavored PhytoFat products opens up a myriad of possibilities, with the potential to enhance the visual appeal, taste, and texture of plant-based foods from burgers to pork belly dishes. Lypid says PhytoFat is set to redefine the perception of plant-based food.

“With the early success and highly positive feedback, we aim to take our innovation further in the following months and welcome culinary partners to hop on board with Lypid,” said Lypid CEO Dr. Jen-Yu Huang.

Lypid has already embarked on global collaborations, including a partnership with Asia’s largest coffeehouse chain, Louisa Coffee, to serve plant-based burger patties featuring PhytoFat in more than 500 shops across Taiwan.

Lypid is among a growing number of alternative fat producers aiming to make plant-based and other alternative animal products more closely resemble their conventional counterparts.

Fellow Bay Area startup Zero Acre Farms closed a $37 million Series A funding round last year. Investors include Robert Downey Jr. and members of the band Coldplay.

Zero Acre is working to supplant problematic vegetable oils such as palm oil — a leading producer of emissions and a driver of tropical deforestation — and genetically modified plant oils such as canola and soy.