Brazil’s Future Cow uses fermentation to make milk without cows

A Brazilian startup is aiming to transform the dairy sector – without a single cow in sight. Founded in 2023, São Paulo-based Future Cow is developing milk proteins using precision fermentation, a process that replaces livestock with microbes and bioreactors to produce key dairy components like casein and whey.

“Our mission is to make milk without a cow,” commented Leonardo Vieira, Co-founder & CEO. “Precision fermentation is a technology similar to that used in the production of beer or wine.”

The process begins with identifying the DNA sequence responsible for milk protein production, then inserting it into a microbial host such as yeast. Once in a fermentation tank with a nutrient source, the microbes multiply and produce the desired proteins. After purification and drying, the result is a milk protein that can be used in cheese, yogurt, or as an ingredient in supplements.

Vieira said the company’s initial focus is on producing casein and whey protein, but it eventually plans to target other high-value dairy components like lactoferrin Leonardo Vieira a protein that requires 10,000 liters of cow’s milk to extract just 1kg through conventional means.

Future Cow began operations at the Supera Technology Park in Ribeirão Preto and was later selected for the DeepTech Acceleration Program (PACE) at CNPEM, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials. The company is now working on scaling its process, a stage where most biotech startups struggle. “Ninety-five percent of biotechs fail when they leave a bench environment and go to a pilot plant,” Vieira noted. “We’re very optimistic that with the support of CNPEM and the available infrastructure, we’ll achieve the scale-up we need.”

Rather than aiming to displace animal dairy, Future Cow wants to complement the sector. “When precision fermentation began, it was all very black or white,” Vieira said. “Now, we see more hybrid models.” According to Vieira, large dairy companies are already purchasing all available milk and face limitations in increasing production. “If they can mix our ingredient with the animal product to create a hybrid product and increase scale, it’ll be a significant gain.”

The startup also sees environmental benefits. Even modest use of microbial proteins in dairy production could cut emissions. “A 10% or 20% reduction in the carbon footprint of large corporations in the food sector would already represent a considerable environmental impact,” Vieira said.

Brazil may also have a competitive edge in scaling this kind of innovation. “Brazil is the only country in the world that has an abundance of water, sugar, and renewable energy, which are the three essential inputs for fermentation,” Vieira emphasized. “It’s a unique opportunity.”

The company’s technical models suggest that producing milk proteins at a 300,000-liter scale would already be cheaper than conventional dairy. “When precision fermentation reaches an industrial scale with lower costs, it will disrupt the market,” Vieira predicted. “If Brazil only focuses on traditional agriculture at that point, we’ll be left behind.”

Future Cow has already developed a functional microbial strain and is now focused on increasing production yields to bring down costs. “The more the strain produces, the more the unit price falls,” Vieira said. The startup expects to have its first product ready for sale by the end of 2026.

Because the proteins will be sold as ingredients rather than finished products, Future Cow believes it can enter the market with fewer barriers. “As an ingredient, our product can be incorporated into existing products without facing a high entry barrier,” Vieira explained.

The company will showcase its progress at VivaTech in Paris this month, aiming to attract international investors and commercial partners. “We want to demonstrate that we’re developing alternative proteins and, with this, attract multinationals from the dairy sector to be our clients.”

Behind the company is a mix of entrepreneurial and scientific talent. Vieira brings a business background, while co-founder Rosana Goldbeck holds a PhD in food engineering from UNICAMP and has studied cultivated meat in Brazil. “This mix is an important differentiator,” said Vieira. “Brazil produces a lot of science… but most of it doesn’t become business. There need to be more connections between the academic environment and entrepreneurship.”

As global demand for protein grows and sustainability pressures intensify, companies like Future Cow are positioning themselves to offer solutions that meet both. Whether Brazil takes the lead will depend not just on scientific talent, but on whether it invests in scaling the innovation already underway.