Shiru begins commercial production of OleoPro and uPro ingredients

Shiru has launched commercial production of its AI-discovered ingredients, OleoPro and uPro, which aim to reduce saturated fat without compromising performance in food formulations. The announcement marks a significant step for the California-based startup, which combines artificial intelligence with traditional protein discovery to create plant-based ingredients at commercial scale.

Jasmin Hume, PhD, Founder & CEO of Shiru, shared the milestone in a statement on 24 April 2025. “Our AI platform helped us identify the right proteins, but that was only part of the story,” she said. “Our team then engineered a scalable and entirely new process for producing those proteins with the precise performance attributes required to succeed in real-world formulations.”

OleoPro and uPro are designed to address major challenges in food production by offering sustainable, plant-based alternatives to animal fats and environmentally demanding oils like palm and coconut. While oleogels – plant-based oil structuring solutions – have been the subject of over 500 research publications in the past decade, scaled commercial examples have remained rare until now.

Hume explained that the company used AI to identify natural oleogel structurants, then developed an innovative process to produce them at scale. The result is two new ingredients that Hume said can “match the functionality of saturated animal fat” while opening the door to more creative food experiences. One example she cited was the creation of a solid olive oil using only olive oil and uPro.

Shiru began working on these ingredients about four years ago, at a time when oleogels and novel structuring approaches had not yet gained widespread attention in the food industry. Today, that is changing. Hume noted that Cargill recently issued a public call for experts in scaling oleogels, while Nestlé debuted structured dairy protein ingredients aimed at improving satiety via increased GLP-1 release.

“In contrast to some of the newer entrants, we’ve developed uPro, a plant-based version of similar technologies, and made it available to the entire food industry,” Hume said. Even before the official commercial launch, Shiru had signed more than 30 agreements with global food and ingredient companies for OleoPro™ and uPro™.

To meet growing demand, the company is offering flexible access models, including supplying finished ingredients for brands and licensing technology to ingredients companies. “We understand that OleoPro and uPro, and our IP on how to scale them, can address many challenges in nutrition, formulation, and supply chain resiliency,” Hume said. “The food system needs solutions now, and speed is exactly what Shiru’s built for.”

Reflecting on the journey, Hume described the development and commercialization process as the most rewarding chapter of her career. “Turning our bold idea into real-world ingredients has taken the best science, engineering, problem solving, partner development, and teamwork that I’ve ever experienced,” she said.

She also pointed to the broader role Shiru aims to play in the food system, suggesting that combining AI tools with human ingenuity can accelerate change. “We have the tools to simultaneously clean up labels, build more resilient supply chains, improve public health, and reduce our impact on the planet,” she said.

Hume emphasized that accessibility is central to Shiru’s mission. “What I feel particularly proud of is that Shiru’s ingredients and our technology are not only breakthrough in their science, they’re accessible,” she said. “This is how systemic change happens – not locked away in isolated labs, but through open access to game-changing technologies.”

The commercial launch of OleoPro and uPro comes at a time when global leadership is increasingly emphasizing the need for food innovation that promotes better health and sustainability. Hume expressed optimism about the company’s future, noting that Shiru’s pipeline is “stacked with innovations ready to transform the food system.”

“Building new products sometimes feels like raising my kids: the days are long, but the years are short,” Hume said. “The best part? This is just the beginning.”