Palmetto Superfoods adds leaf protein to menu with Leaft Foods smoothie launch

Palmetto Superfoods has become the first food-service operator in the USA to add commercially available leaf-derived Rubisco protein to its menu, launching a new smoothie made with Leaft Foods’ Blade ingredient across its Bay Area locations.

• Palmetto Superfoods launched a new smoothie featuring Leaft Blade, a Rubisco protein extracted from alfalfa leaves.

• The launch marked the first commercial foodservice use of leaf-based Rubisco protein in the USA.

• Leaft Foods continued its US expansion following investment from backers including Khosla Ventures and Ngāi Tahu.

The new Blade Smoothie introduced leaf protein into a mainstream food-service setting, moving Rubisco from research and ingredient development into consumer-facing menus. The product used Leaft Blade, an enzyme protein extracted directly from green alfalfa leaves, which Leaft Foods described as the world’s first commercially available leaf Rubisco protein.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Palmetto Superfoods opened its first location in Inner Richmond in 2019 and had since grown to 15 outlets, with further expansion planned. The chain had built its brand around minimal processing and nutrient-dense ingredients, including proprietary in-house açaí blends.

The Blade Smoothie followed that approach, incorporating Leaft Blade as a functional ingredient rather than a processed protein isolate. Each serving contained protein extracted from approximately 50,000 green leaves, combined with Japanese Matchacado, tropical spirulina, pineapple, kiwi, avocado, chia seeds, dates, and coconut milk. The smoothie retailed for US$13.95.

Leaft Foods said Rubisco protein offered a high concentration of essential amino acids, delivering 522mg/gram, alongside naturally occurring vitamins and minerals found in green leaves. The company said the protein was designed for rapid digestion, allowing amino acids to be absorbed more quickly than many conventional protein sources.

For Palmetto Superfoods, the addition aligned with its focus on functional nutrition and ingredient transparency. The Blade Smoothie was introduced as the company’s first dedicated greens smoothie, expanding the menu rather than replacing existing protein options.

Charles Lee, CEO & Founder of Palmetto Superfoods, said the launch reflected the company’s ongoing approach to menu development. “The Blade Smoothie represented a new chapter for Palmetto Superfoods. Thanks to our partnership with Leaft Foods, we were proud to introduce our first greens smoothie, one that was powerful, functional, and packed with clean plant protein. We couldn’t wait for our guests to experience it and make getting their greens a daily habit at Palmetto Superfoods,” he said.

Founded in New Zealand, Leaft Foods developed its Rubisco extraction process to produce protein directly from green leaves, which the company described as the most abundant protein source on the planet. Unlike seed-based or fermentation-derived proteins, Rubisco was extracted from leafy biomass and integrated into pasture-based agricultural systems.

The company said its approach allowed farmers to diversify land use while producing protein with a lower carbon footprint than conventional dairy protein. Leaft Foods also said its Rubisco protein was allergen-free and comparable to animal proteins in digestibility and nutritional profile.

Leaft Foods was founded by John Penno and Maury Leyland and led by CEO Ross Milne. The company had moved from early development into commercial production and was increasingly focused on the US market. Its investors included Khosla Ventures, Steven Adams, Ngāi Tahu, and ACC’s Climate Change Impact Fund.

The Palmetto launch placed leaf protein directly in a consumer setting through an established foodservice partner. While Rubisco protein had been discussed for years within research and sustainability circles, its appearance on a commercial menu marked a shift toward broader application.

Palmetto Superfoods presented the Blade Smoothie as an additional menu option rather than a substitute for existing proteins, reflecting a wider pattern in functional nutrition where new protein sources were introduced alongside familiar formats rather than positioned as replacements.