Amyris addresses demand for fermentation-based products with new Brazilian plant

13 Apr 2022 --- Synthetic biotechnology Amyris is strengthening its presence within the biotechnology sector by commissioning its new fermentation plant in Barra Bonita, Brazil.

Amyris notes that bio-based products are in high demand among consumers while several end markets, including personal care as well as food, are seeing a significant shift.

The fermentation plant will allow for industrial-scale manufacturing due to Amyris’ strategic investment in this greenfield location. It is expected to be operationalized in the second quarter of the year.

The new factory is conveniently placed near the world’s second-largest sugar mill, Raizen, ensuring supply continuity and favorable feedstock economics.

“Industry experts see a significant future gap between supply and demand of fermentation-based products. We set out a strategic path over a decade ago that, beyond being the recognized leaders in the science of biotechnology, we would invest in fermentation process capability and capacity,” says John Melo, president and CEO of Amyris.

“We have an experienced team that combines the art and science of manufacturing at scale from the lab bench to the fermentation tower.”

Taking full advantage of vertical fermentation
Sugar cane is an essential feedstock for producing environmentally friendly ingredients, according to Amyris. Brazil is the world’s leading sugar producer and its operating expenses are lower than those in the US and Europe.

“We have started to activate the process control modules and are testing the instruments and automation protocols to ensure that all systems and components are operating efficiently and safely,” says Melo.

Amyris notes that bio-based products are in high demand among consumers within the nutrition and personal care spaces.To take full advantage of gravity in its vertical fermentation process, the fermentation plant has a proprietary design with a process tower that is two times taller than its previous Brotas plant.

The location has five fermentation “mini-factories” that can produce more than 13 currently scaled and future bio-fermented products. The site has enough land and infrastructure to accommodate future growth.

Also, tapping into sugar cane’s potential, Corbion previously unveiled AlgaPrime DHA made from sugar cane fermentation and pegged as having a lower carbon footprint than other fish oils.

Forecast for biotechnology sector
Biotechnology has seen significant investment over the past years. The majority of the funding has been applied toward the front of the funnel, which includes gene discovery, genetic pathway modeling and microbe engineering.

According to Amyris, there has been little investment in fermentation process development, scale-up and scale-up fermentation.

Biotechnology’s potential to have a commercial impact is hampered by a lack of scaled precision fermentation expertise and capacity, which reduces the ability to manufacture cost-effectively at scale.

The sector’s capital-light approach toward fermentation capacity does not bode well for future success, Amyris notes.

Fermentation for clean beauty and CBD alternatives
PersonalCareInsights, in an exclusive interview with the industry, previously unveiled that fermentation has evolved from food preservation to currently providing a cleaner and more environmentally sustainable ingredient to the beauty and personal care industry.

Amyris acknowledged that technology like precision fermentation “is a natural fit for the needs of beauty and personal care.”

The company previously scaled up the commercial production of fermentation-based cannabigerol (CBG), a possible alternative to cannabidiol (CBD). It also partnered with SuperOrdinary Group to bring its Biossance Clean Beauty skincare line to the Chinese market.

Edited by Nicole Kerr