Months after unveiling an industrial-scale facility dedicated to transforming spent brewer’s yeast into valuable proteins, Swiss food technology startup Yeastup is significantly broadening the market reach of its innovative, upcycled ingredients. The company has officially entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with DKSH, a leading market expansion services provider, to bring its UpFiber Beta-Glucan, a high-value dietary fiber derived from beer waste, to food manufacturers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (the DACH region). This strategic partnership marks a crucial step in Yeastup’s mission to scale its sustainable food solutions and capitalize on the burgeoning demand for functional and ethically sourced ingredients.
The agreement empowers DKSH to leverage its extensive expertise in business development, marketing, sales, logistics, and distribution to introduce UpFiber Beta-Glucan to a wider customer base within the DACH market. Beyond logistical support, DKSH will also provide invaluable technical insights and application support through its dedicated Food & Beverage Ingredients business unit, ensuring that food manufacturers can effectively integrate Yeastup’s novel ingredient into their product formulations. This collaborative approach is designed to accelerate market penetration and establish UpFiber Beta-Glucan as a go-to solution for an array of food, nutrition, and supplement applications.
Frank Maus, Manager of DKSH’s Food & Ingredients division for the DACH region, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration. "DKSH is delighted to partner with Yeastup and expand our portfolio with an innovative ingredient derived from yeast," Maus stated. "UpFiber Beta-Glucan addresses the growing demand for functional and sustainable ingredients in food, nutrition, and supplement applications. Our established presence and technical capabilities in the DACH market make us an ideal partner to help Yeastup achieve its growth objectives." The sentiment from DKSH underscores the perceived market potential and the innovative nature of Yeastup’s offering, positioning the partnership as mutually beneficial and strategically aligned with current industry trends.
A Pioneer in Upcycling: Yeastup’s Innovative Approach to Spent Brewer’s Yeast
Founded in 2020 by Daniel Gnos and Urs Briner, Yeastup has emerged as a frontrunner in the circular economy for food ingredients. The company has developed a proprietary, patent-pending process that efficiently extracts valuable components from spent brewer’s yeast, a significant byproduct of the brewing industry. This sophisticated methodology integrates mechanical and gentle cell disruption techniques with advanced phase separation and membrane technologies. The result is a singular industrial process capable of isolating proteins, beta-glucans, and mannoproteins in a highly pure form.
Crucially, Yeastup’s process effectively removes undesirable fermentation byproducts, such as bitter compounds, ensuring the production of palatable and high-quality ingredients. Furthermore, the system incorporates a closed-loop water recovery mechanism, where water is reclaimed and reintegrated into the process, significantly minimizing waste and reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability and the principles of a circular economy. This holistic approach not only addresses the challenge of food waste but also creates a more resource-efficient manufacturing model.
Yeastup’s product portfolio is diverse, catering to a wide range of applications within the food industry. Their yeast-derived proteins exhibit excellent gelling, binding, and emulsifying properties, making them ideal replacements for eggs in various products, including baked goods and spreads. Another protein variant boasts high solubility, making it suitable for use in nutrition bars and ready-to-mix beverages. A third protein solution is engineered to enhance umami notes, improve juiciness, and provide a desirable bite in meat alternatives, all without the need for additional additives.
UpFiber Beta-Glucan: A Gut Health Powerhouse
The company’s fibre solutions are equally impressive, offering advanced functionalities such as optimal emulsifying, gelling, and water-binding capabilities. These fibres are designed for low-temperature applications and provide significant benefits for gut health, aligning perfectly with the current consumer focus on digestive wellness.
Among these innovative fibre solutions is UpFiber Beta-Glucan, which distinguishes itself with a remarkable beta-glucan content of up to 85%. This natural ingredient functions as a prebiotic, known for its ability to support a healthy gut microbiome. Beyond its probiotic properties, UpFiber Beta-Glucan also plays a vital role in enhancing the texture and stability of a variety of products, including dietary supplements, functional foods, and even skincare formulations, demonstrating its versatility. Its high fibre content and excellent dispersibility allow for its incorporation into a wide range of targeted applications, such as prebiotic formulations and products designed to support overall gut health and well-being.
Yeastup’s commitment to addressing specific market needs extends to other fibre innovations. They offer a unique collagen blend, developed in collaboration with Gelita’s Verisol HST, specifically for the creation of functional gummies and beauty products. Additionally, the company has developed an immune- and gut-boosting powder formulated for the pet food and supplement markets, showcasing their ability to adapt their core technology to diverse consumer and animal health demands.
Strategic Expansion and Future Outlook
The distribution agreement with DKSH arrives at a pivotal moment for Yeastup, coinciding with the company’s ongoing efforts to secure additional funding. Following a successful Series A funding round of $10 million in late 2024, Yeastup is currently seeking further investment to fuel its ambitious expansion plans. These funds are earmarked for accelerating production capacity at its Lyss facility and driving international market development.
Yeastup’s operational hub is a state-of-the-art, 1,700 square meter facility located in Lyss, Switzerland. This plant is equipped to process an impressive 4,000 liters of spent brewer’s yeast per hour, underscoring its industrial-scale capabilities. During the facility’s opening in December of the previous year, Yeastup showcased preliminary samples of its first vegan protein bars, where the yeast ingredient effectively mimicked the functional properties of hydrolysates, a common component used to improve texture, moisture retention, and mouthfeel in conventional food products.
In a recent LinkedIn post, Yeastup articulated its vision for the future of functional fibres: "We believe beta-glucan and dietary fibre ingredients will continue to gain importance as brands look for solutions that combine function, nutritional value, and practical application." The company explicitly linked the DKSH deal to this belief, stating that the partnership "reflects the growing relevance of functional fibres in supplements, gut health, and modern nutrition products." This statement highlights Yeastup’s strategic foresight and its alignment with evolving consumer preferences and industry demands.
The partnership with DKSH is anticipated to serve as a significant catalyst for Yeastup’s fundraising endeavors, acting as a strong indicator of market validation and growth potential to prospective investors. Daniel Gnos, CEO of Yeastup, conveyed his satisfaction with the new alliance. "We are very pleased to collaborate with DKSH," Gnos stated. "With its strong network and technical expertise in food and nutrition ingredients, DKSH is an ideal partner to introduce UpFiber Beta-Glucan to customers across the DACH region and support the market development of our yeast-derived ingredients." This endorsement from the CEO emphasizes the strategic importance of DKSH’s role in realizing Yeastup’s international market ambitions.
The broader implications of this partnership extend beyond Yeastup’s immediate business objectives. It signals a growing trend within the food industry towards embracing upcycled ingredients and innovative biotechnological solutions. As consumers become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their food choices and the importance of gut health, companies like Yeastup are poised to play a critical role in shaping a more sustainable and health-conscious future for food production. The collaboration with a well-established distributor like DKSH provides a robust platform for these innovative ingredients to reach a wider market, potentially influencing product development across Europe and beyond. The successful integration of UpFiber Beta-Glucan into mainstream food products could pave the way for further adoption of similar upcycled ingredients, contributing to a more circular and sustainable global food system.