Months after securing global sales clearance for its innovative precision-fermented fat, Swedish-based Melt&Marble has officially launched Marble7, a groundbreaking animal-free "designer fat" meticulously engineered for the discerning needs of the beauty and personal care industry. This strategic debut marks a significant expansion for the company, moving beyond its initial focus on food applications and into the rapidly evolving landscape of cosmetic ingredients. The launch, which took place at In-Cosmetics Korea, signals a pivotal moment for the company and the sector, offering a sustainable and high-performance alternative to traditional lipid sources.
The company’s foray into the personal care market follows a period of intense development and regulatory navigation. Melt&Marble’s precision fermentation process, which involves reprogramming microorganisms to produce specific molecules, has been honed to create bioactives that mimic or even enhance the performance of conventional ingredients. The successful acquisition of a global sales clearance for their fermented fat paved the way for this direct-to-market launch in the beauty sector. This clearance is a testament to the rigorous scientific validation and safety assessments undertaken by Melt&Marble, underscoring the viability and market readiness of their technology.
Following its unveiling at In-Cosmetics Korea, a premier event for the cosmetics and personal care industry, Melt&Marble has announced a strategic partnership with Covalo, a leading digital ingredient discovery platform. This collaboration is designed to significantly amplify Marble7’s visibility among a global network of formulators and product development teams. Covalo’s platform facilitates streamlined access to crucial technical documentation, innovative formulation concepts, and the seamless ordering of samples for evaluation. This digital-first approach aims to accelerate the adoption of Marble7 by making it easier for brands to explore its unique properties and integrate it into their product lines.
The significance of this launch is further underscored by the ingredient’s formal recognition. In March, Marble7 received its International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) name: r-Saccharomyces Butter. This designation, granted by the Personal Care Products Council, is a crucial step for market acceptance and regulatory compliance, particularly within the European Union. The INCI name signifies that the ingredient has met established standards for safety and efficacy within the cosmetic industry, opening doors for its widespread use in formulations across the continent and beyond.
Thomas Cresswell, Chief Business Officer at Melt&Marble, articulated the company’s vision for Marble7: "Marble7 is our first commercial product for personal care and an important step in bringing precision-fermented designer lipids into real formulation use," he stated. "For formulators, the opportunity is not only to replace existing lipid ingredients but to access next-generation ingredients designed with specific performance, sensory and supply-chain needs in mind." This statement highlights the dual benefit of Marble7: its ability to serve as a direct substitute for traditional fats while simultaneously offering enhanced, tailored functionalities that can elevate product performance and consumer experience.
The implications of this technological advancement are far-reaching. The personal care industry has long grappled with the environmental and ethical challenges associated with sourcing raw materials. Animal-derived fats raise concerns about animal welfare and the significant environmental footprint of livestock farming, which contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions and land use. Similarly, tropical plant-based oils, such as palm oil, are frequently linked to deforestation, habitat destruction, and social conflicts. Precision fermentation offers a compelling alternative by decoupling ingredient production from these problematic supply chains, enabling the creation of high-quality lipids with a dramatically reduced environmental impact.
Melt&Marble’s innovative approach to lipid production leverages the power of precision fermentation, a biotechnology that employs microorganisms, such as yeast, as microscopic "factories." By introducing specific genetic material into these microbes, scientists can instruct them to synthesize desired molecules. In the case of Melt&Marble, yeast strains are engineered to convert simple sugars into complex fatty acids and lipids, bypassing the need for animal or plant cultivation. This method allows for precise control over the composition and characteristics of the final fat, enabling the creation of ingredients tailored to specific performance requirements. The process typically involves cultivating these engineered yeast in controlled fermentation tanks, feeding them a nutrient-rich medium, and then extracting the valuable lipid compounds through standard industrial processes. This controlled environment ensures consistency, purity, and scalability, addressing common challenges in traditional ingredient sourcing.
Marble7 stands out as a flagship ingredient due to its multifaceted functionality, earning it the designation of a "three-in-one" bioactive lipid. It has been specifically formulated to cater to the diverse needs of skincare, makeup, and haircare applications. A key feature of Marble7 is its fatty acid profile, which closely mimics that of human skin sebum. This bio-similarity allows it to integrate seamlessly with the skin’s natural lipid barrier, providing exceptional moisturizing properties and a luxurious, silky feel upon application. Unlike some traditional emollients that can feel heavy or occlusive, Marble7 is designed to remain solid at room temperature but melt upon contact with the skin, ensuring efficient absorption and long-lasting hydration without greasiness.
Beyond its emollient properties, Marble7 is enriched with omega-7 fatty acids and other bioactive compounds. These components are particularly beneficial for formulations focused on strengthening the skin barrier. A compromised skin barrier can lead to increased sensitivity, dryness, and premature aging. By replenishing essential lipids and promoting barrier integrity, Marble7 helps to enhance the skin’s natural defense mechanisms, leading to improved hydration, increased elasticity, and a more resilient complexion. This makes it an ideal ingredient for products targeting concerns such as dryness, redness, and loss of firmness.
The strategic advantages of Marble7 extend to its ability to provide structure and stability within cosmetic formulations, ensuring consistent product performance and texture. Its unique sensory profile offers a desirable tactile experience for consumers, contributing to the overall appeal and efficacy of the final product. By offering these combined benefits, Marble7 empowers cosmetic formulators to create sophisticated and high-performing products that align with growing consumer demand for both efficacy and ethical sourcing. This allows brands to move away from animal fats, which are associated with a substantial environmental burden – the livestock industry is a significant contributor to global emissions, land degradation, and water scarcity – and from tropical plant-based fats, whose production often fuels deforestation and threatens biodiversity.
Melt&Marble’s commitment to sustainability is not confined to the personal care sector. The company also produces MeltyMarble, a food-grade lipid engineered for the alternative protein market. MeltyMarble is designed to replace saturated fats in plant-based meats, dairy products, chocolates, baked goods, and snacks, enhancing texture, mouthfeel, and overall palatability. In a significant development for the food industry, Melt&Marble is collaborating with Finnish dairy giant Valio, an early investor in the startup, on a variety of alternative protein applications utilizing MeltyMarble. This dual focus on both food and personal care demonstrates the versatility of Melt&Marble’s precision fermentation technology and its potential to disrupt multiple consumer goods industries.
The broader trend towards sustainable ingredients in the personal care sector is gaining significant momentum. Melt&Marble’s partnership with Covalo is a prime example of how innovative ingredient suppliers are leveraging digital platforms to connect with a global audience of formulators. Covalo’s ability to provide immediate access to product information, formulation ideas, and samples is crucial for accelerating the R&D process.
Juliana Mancini Gomiero, Head of Business Development for Personal Care at Melt&Marble, emphasized the strategic importance of this digital outreach: "This collaboration with Covalo allows us to move beyond traditional availability and actively drive adoption through digital activation, product visibility, and sample accessibility," she explained. This proactive approach signifies a shift in how specialty ingredients are introduced and adopted within the industry, prioritizing digital engagement and rapid evaluation.
Yann Chilvers, CEO of Covalo, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the growing demand for innovative and sustainable ingredients: "After watching Melt&Marble’s innovation and rapid development from the sidelines, we are delighted to help the team accelerate their journey and add Marble7 to Covalo’s portfolio of ingredients," he stated. "Melt&Marble’s precision fermentation ingredients answer a true need in the industry." This endorsement from a key industry platform underscores the market’s receptiveness to Melt&Marble’s offerings and the inherent value of their technological advancements.
Melt&Marble’s progress has been supported by substantial financial backing. To date, the company has raised over $17 million, including an $8.5 million Series A funding round completed in December. This financial infusion has been instrumental in scaling their production capabilities and accelerating their market entry strategies.
The company is part of a burgeoning ecosystem of startups focused on developing alternative fats through cutting-edge technologies like precision fermentation and carbon capture. These companies are collectively driving a paradigm shift in ingredient sourcing, offering solutions that are not only environmentally responsible but also deliver superior performance and innovation.
In the United States, Savor, another prominent player in the fat alternative space, has launched four carbon-derived ingredients. These ingredients boast a remarkable 90% reduction in emissions compared to traditional tropical oils and are suitable for a wide array of applications, spanning skincare, haircare, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, and therapeutic care. This innovation demonstrates the diverse technological pathways emerging within the field of sustainable ingredient development.
Meanwhile, C16 Biosciences has made significant strides by partnering with Tower 28 Beauty. This collaboration involves supplying C16’s yeast-derived palm oil substitute for use in the brand’s popular lip jelly range. Such partnerships are crucial for demonstrating the real-world application and consumer acceptance of these novel ingredients in established beauty product categories.
From Estonia, Ătio is making waves with its approach of fermenting industrial byproducts into sustainable lipids. The company is poised to launch its cosmetics ingredients in the EU market soon, further expanding the availability of novel, eco-friendly fats. Similarly, French company La Fabrique Végétale has joined forces with the US-based Checkerspot to bring the latter’s fermentation-derived algal oils to the European personal care market, highlighting a growing trend of international collaboration in this sector.
In the UK, Clean Food Group has secured $7 million in funding and unveiled CleanOil, an ingredient targeted at the beauty industry. CleanOil utilizes food waste, yeast, and fermentation to create a viable alternative to palm oil. These diverse initiatives underscore the global momentum behind the development and adoption of sustainable fats, signaling a significant transformation in how the beauty and personal care industries source their essential ingredients. The collective efforts of these companies are paving the way for a more sustainable and ethically conscious future for product formulation.
