Michroma
Michroma is a biotechnology company that uses proprietary CRISPR-enhanced filamentous fungi and precision fermentation to produce natural food colorants, primarily its flagship Red+ red pigment, sold B2B to food and beverage manufacturers seeking replacements for synthetic dyes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Michroma does
Michroma is a biotechnology company developing and producing natural food ingredients through precision fermentation of proprietary filamentous fungi strains. Founded in 2019 by Ricky Cassini and Dr. Mauricio Braia, the company operates dual hubs in San Francisco, California (US headquarters and commercial operations) and Rosario, Argentina (R&D and organism engineering). Its flagship product, Red+, is a fungal-derived bright red natural colorant positioned as a replacement for petroleum-based synthetic dyes such as Red 40 across food and beverage applications including baked goods, beverages, confectionery, meat, and dairy.
The company's technology platform combines CRISPR-enhanced fungal strain engineering, a proprietary synthetic biology toolbox, and a bioinformatics layer with predictive modeling to design filamentous fungi as industrial biofactories. These strains are deployed in precision fermentation processes using agro-industrial waste as feedstock, producing pigments the company claims offer superior thermal and pH stability compared to conventional natural colorants such as beetroot. Michroma is extending its platform beyond colors into flavors and fragrances, currently listed as in development on its website.
Michroma operates a B2B ingredients supply model, selling natural colorants directly to food and beverage manufacturers on quote-based, negotiated terms. Its first major commercial-scale manufacturing partnership is with South Korean conglomerate CJ CheilJedang, announced in September 2025, which provides biomanufacturing infrastructure and access to Asia-Pacific distribution channels. As of early 2026, Red+ holds non-GMO, vegan, kosher, and halal certifications and the company is pursuing FDA color additive petition approval for US market entry. The company has raised approximately $6.4 million in seed funding (February 2023) led by Supply Change Capital, with strategic participation from General Mills and a broader syndicate of food-tech investors.
Michroma firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Michroma
- Legal name
- michroma SAU
- Website
- https://michroma.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Michroma is a biotechnology company that uses proprietary CRISPR-enhanced filamentous fungi and precision fermentation to produce natural food colorants, primarily its flagship Red+ red pigment, sold B2B to food and beverage manufacturers seeking replacements for synthetic dyes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Michroma industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Food Ingredients
- NAICS
- Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Application-Specific Color Solutions (Beverage, Dairy, Confectionery, Bakery, Savory, Pet Food) (AFAJAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free) (AFAJAEAI), Natural Colorants (Plant/Algae/Microbial Extracts: Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Spirulina) (AFAJAEAA), Color Stability & Performance Additives (Antioxidants, Chelators, UV/Heat/Acid Stabilizers) (AFAJAEAJ)
Keywords
Where Michroma is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Michroma business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Natural Food Colorants: Michroma sells its proprietary fungal-derived natural food colorants (Red+) to food and beverage manufacturers. Revenue is generated through ingredient sales to enterprise customers seeking natural alternatives to synthetic dyes. The company positions Red+ as a premium, high-performance sustainable colorant that can replace synthetic options like Red 40.
- Future Ingredients Platform: Michroma is expanding its fungal fermentation platform beyond colors to include natural flavors and fragrances. The company is developing a pipeline of upcoming ingredients that will be commercialized through B2B sales to food manufacturers.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Michroma product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Michroma produces natural food colorants through precision fermentation using proprietary CRISPR-enhanced filamentous fungi strains. Its flagship product Red+ is a world-first bright red natural colorant with superior pH and thermal stability, designed for baked goods, beverages, confectionery, meat, alternative meat, and dairy applications. The company is expanding its fungal fermentation platform to produce natural flavors and fragrances for food and beverage manufacturers.
Product overview
Michroma is a biotechnology company developing fungal-based natural ingredients through precision fermentation. The company offers Red+, a flagship natural red food colorant produced using proprietary filamentous fungi strains and CRISPR gene editing. The platform produces temperature- and pH-stable natural colorants for the food industry, with flavors and fragrances under development. Michroma's technology uses clean agro-industrial waste as feedstock and positions fermentation as the future pathway for natural food ingredients, aiming to replace petroleum-based and agricultural-derived alternatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Red+ Natural Food Colorant A world-first bright red natural food colorant produced via fungal-based precision fermentation. Provides pH and thermal stability across a wide range of food applications including baked goods, beverages, confectionery, meat, alternative meat, and dairy products requiring pasteurization. Certified non-GMO, vegan, kosher, and halal with zero residual taste, designed to replace petroleum-based synthetic dyes such as Red 40. Sold to food and beverage manufacturers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Red+ color has greater coloring capacity than beetroot powder, enabling replacement of synthetic dyes like Red 40
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Michroma
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Michroma technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Michroma partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- CJ CheilJedangflagshipStrategic partnership with South Korean food and biomanufacturing giant CJ CheilJedang to advance commercial-scale manufacturing of natural pigments produced through Michroma's fungal fermentation platform. The partnership combines CJ CheilJedang's biomanufacturing capabilities with Michroma's proprietary fungal strains and fermentation technology to enable large-scale production of natural food colors.
- iFAB Consortium (Illinois Fermentation and Biomanufacturing)coreMichroma is one of 36 partners in the iFAB consortium led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, addressing manufacturing shortages in precision fermentation by providing startups access to large-scale fermentation facilities. The consortium received $51 million in US Department of Commerce funding and $30 million from Illinois state, with partners including ADM, Primient, and Kraft-Heinz.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Michroma competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Phytolon: Israeli biotech using precision fermentation of yeast to produce betalain-based natural food colors. Most direct competitor to Michroma, also pursuing natural red/violet/yellow colorants via fermentation for CPG applications.
- Conagen: US-based precision fermentation company developing natural ingredients including colors, flavors, and fragrances via engineered microorganisms. Competes with Michroma across overlapping B2B ingredient categories and customer profiles.
Emerging players
- The EVERY Company: Precision fermentation company producing animal-free proteins (ovalbumin, casein, lactoferrin). Michroma advisor Arturo Elizondo is its CEO; both are fermentation-derived ingredient plays targeting CPG reformulation, though EVERY focuses on proteins rather than colors.
- Amai Proteins: Israeli precision fermentation startup producing sweet proteins as sugar alternatives. Comparable as a fermentation-derived ingredient startup targeting CPG reformulation, though focused on sweeteners rather than colors.
- Fumi Ingredients: Israeli-Dutch startup producing fermentation-derived natural savory flavors and proteins. Highly comparable as a B2B fermentation-ingredient startup pursuing CPG customers with clean-label, natural positioning similar to Michroma's.
Broad incumbents
- GNT Group: German family-owned leader in plant-based natural food colors (EXBERRY brand), serving global CPGs across beverage, confectionery, dairy, and bakery. Largest incumbent Michroma must displace in natural color reformulation cycles.
- Sensient Technologies: Global supplier of natural and synthetic food colors, flavors, and fragrances with deep CPG relationships. Competes with Michroma across the food color portfolio, particularly in natural and clean-label segments.
- Novonesis (formerly Chr. Hansen): Global bioscience company specializing in fermentation-based food ingredients, cultures, and enzymes. Highly comparable platform technology to Michroma and an iFAB-aligned industry player with established CPG distribution.
- DSM-Firmenich: Dutch-Swiss giant in nutrition, health, and flavors/fragrances with a growing natural color portfolio. Competes with Michroma across B2B ingredients and is part of the expert network accessed via the Future is Fungi Award.
- ADM: Global food ingredient and agricultural processor with major fermentation capabilities and an iFAB consortium partner alongside Michroma. Provides incumbent scale, distribution, and R&D that Michroma partners with and competes against for natural color share.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Michroma social profiles
Digital presenceMichroma compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Michroma financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Michroma leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
Michroma funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Michroma M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Michroma
What does Michroma do?
Michroma produces natural food colorants through precision fermentation using proprietary CRISPR-enhanced filamentous fungi strains. Its flagship product Red+ is a world-first bright red natural colorant with superior pH and thermal stability, designed for baked goods, beverages, confectionery, meat, alternative meat, and dairy applications. The company is expanding its fungal fermentation platform to produce natural flavors and fragrances for food and beverage manufacturers.
Is Michroma a public or private company?
Michroma is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Michroma founded?
Michroma was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Michroma based?
Michroma is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Michroma make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Natural Food Colorants are the primary driver. The others are future Ingredients Platform.
Who are Michroma's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Phytolon and Conagen. Emerging players are The EVERY Company, Amai Proteins and Fumi Ingredients. Broad incumbents are GNT Group, Sensient Technologies, Novonesis (formerly Chr. Hansen), DSM-Firmenich and ADM.
Does Michroma have an API?
No public API is recorded for Michroma.
What industry is Michroma in?
Michroma's product category is Natural Food Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJAEAH, Application-Specific Color Solutions (Beverage, Dairy, Confectionery, Bakery, Savory, Pet Food), with a secondary code of AFAJAEAI, Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free). Its NAICS code is 32513 and its SIC code is 2000.