Equii
Equii is a California-based food technology company that uses proprietary fermentation to produce high-protein yeast flour, sold directly to consumers as bread, pasta, and baking mixes and licensed to foodservice and CPG partners including Bridor and Impossible Foods.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Ramon, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Equii does
Equii is a California-based food technology company that has developed a proprietary fermentation process to produce high-protein flour from yeast. Founded in 2021 and operating as Cella Farms, Inc. DBA Equii from San Leandro, California, the company's core technology creates a complete plant-based protein containing all nine essential amino acids that can be incorporated into traditional carbohydrate staples such as bread and pasta without altering their familiar form or taste. The team is small (1-10 employees) and the company has raised approximately $6.2 million to date, anchored by a $6 million seed round in September 2022 led by Khosla Ventures with participation from 1Derlife Growth, Accelr8, Axia Ventures, and KdT Ventures.
Equii's commercial product portfolio comprises three lines built on the same yeast protein platform: protein bread, protein pasta (Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese), and protein baking mixes, with the pasta and baking categories launched in August 2024. Revenue is generated through three distinct mechanisms: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with a Subscribe-and-Save subscription program (shipping to the 48 contiguous US states); B2B ingredient supply to foodservice operators, anchored by a North American partnership with French baking company Bridor signed in September 2024; and technology licensing to branded CPG companies, exemplified by the January 2026 strategic partnership with Impossible Foods to develop high-protein grain-based products, as part of which co-founder and CEO Monica Bhatia moved to Impossible Foods as VP of grain-based innovation. The customer base spans health-conscious consumers seeking protein enrichment in everyday meals and food service operators and CPG partners looking to add complete protein content to traditional grain-based menus and products.
The company's go-to-market combines DTC e-commerce with active social media presence, recipe-driven content marketing, and earned media coverage in publications including Bake Magazine, Eat This, and Muscle & Fitness. Distribution is currently limited to the contiguous United States at retail, with a store locator feature for physical availability. Equii received the Food and Beverage (FABI) Award from the National Restaurant Association Show in 2023 for innovation in food and beverage. The combined signals indicate an early-stage food tech company building category reach through partnerships while maintaining a consumer brand, with founder continuity now resting with co-founder Baljit following Bhatia's transition.
Equii firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Equii
- Legal name
- Cella Farms, Inc.
- Website
- https://equii.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Equii is a California-based food technology company that uses proprietary fermentation to produce high-protein yeast flour, sold directly to consumers as bread, pasta, and baking mixes and licensed to foodservice and CPG partners including Bridor and Impossible Foods.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Equii industry classification
Industry- Product category
- High-Protein Nutritional Food Products
- NAICS
- Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour (311824), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)
- SIC
- Grain Mill Products (2040), Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flour & Milling Products Manufacturing (wheat, corn, rice, specialty flours) (AFAKABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Grain-Based Mixes & Doughs Manufacturing (pancake/waffle mixes, baking mixes, dough bases) (AFAKABAF)
Keywords
Where Equii is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Ramon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Equii business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: Equii sells protein bread, pasta, and baking products directly to consumers through its e-commerce store. Products include protein-packed bread, rigatoni, mac and cheese, and baking mixes. The company offers a Subscribe-and-Save program for recurring purchases with discounts.
- Licensing & Technology Partnerships: Equii licenses its fermentation technology and protein flour to other food companies for use in their products, such as the partnership with Impossible Foods for protein-enhanced grain-based products.
- B2B Ingredients Supply: Equii supplies its premium protein-packed yeast flour to food service companies like Bridor for use in baked goods across North America.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Individual product purchases with Subscribe-and-Save option |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Equii product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Equii develops and sells high-protein grain-based food products—bread, pasta (Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese), and baking mixes—made from a proprietary fermented yeast protein flour. The company also licenses its fermentation technology and supplies its protein flour ingredient to food service operators and branded food companies for use in their own grain-based products.
Product overview
Equii is a food technology company that has developed a proprietary fermentation technology to create high-protein flour from yeast. The company's product portfolio centers on this core technology and includes three main product lines: Protein Bread, Protein Pasta (including Mac & Cheese and Rigatoni varieties), and Protein Baking Mixes. These products are designed to provide complete plant-based protein containing all nine essential amino acids, targeting health-conscious consumers who want to enhance their nutrition without sacrificing taste. The company also supplies its premium protein-packed yeast flour to foodservice partners like Bridor and has formed a strategic partnership with Impossible Foods to develop protein-enhanced grain-based products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Protein Bread High-protein bread made using Equii's proprietary fermented yeast protein flour, delivering complete plant-based protein with all nine essential amino acids for health-conscious consumers seeking nutritional enhancement in everyday bread.
- Protein Pasta (Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese) High-protein, high-fibre pasta products including Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese made from Equii's fermented yeast protein flour, offering significantly more protein and fiber than traditional pasta for health-conscious consumers.
- Protein Baking Mixes Baking mix products that let consumers create protein-enriched baked goods at home using Equii's fermented yeast protein flour technology, extending the brand beyond pre-made bread and pasta.
- Complete Protein Yeast Flour (B2B Ingredient) Equii's proprietary fermented yeast protein flour supplied as an ingredient to food service operators and food brand partners (e.g., Bridor for North American foodservice baked goods) and offered for technology licensing to other food companies for use in their own grain-based products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products contain significantly more protein and fibre than traditional pasta options
Companies that use Equii
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Equii technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Equii partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Impossible FoodscoreStrategic partnership where Equii collaborated with Impossible Foods to expand into high-protein grain-based products including bread and pasta. As part of the deal, Equii's co-founder and CEO Monica Bhatia joined Impossible Foods as vice president of grain-based innovation. The partnership aims to capitalize on growing consumer demand for protein-rich foods and addresses the declining plant-based meat sector.
- BridorcorePartnership with French baking company Bridor to supply premium protein-packed yeast flour for the food service industry across North America. The collaboration aims to enhance the quality and nutrition of various baked goods.
- Impossible FoodscorePartnership with Impossible Foods to develop protein-enhanced meal solutions, as highlighted in market research reports on plant-based food industry developments.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Equii competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Simple Mills: Simple Mills makes better-for-you crackers, cookies, and baking mixes sold primarily through DTC and natural grocery channels. Highly comparable to Equii as a clean-label, high-protein/better-forage carb brand targeting health-conscious consumers through similar retail and DTC mechanics.
- Banza: Banza produces chickpea-based pasta as a high-protein, gluten-free alternative to traditional pasta, sold DTC and through grocery. Direct competitor to Equii's Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese in the high-protein pasta category, with similar health-positioned branding.
- Goodles: Goodles is a better-for-you mac & cheese brand with added protein, fiber, and vegetables, sold DTC and through retail. Direct overlap with Equii's protein Mac & Cheese product on positioning, format, and target consumer.
- Hero Bread: Hero Bread makes high-protein, low-carb bread and baked goods sold through DTC, retail, and foodservice. Directly comparable to Equii's protein bread on product format, nutritional positioning, and target consumer.
- Tolerant Foods: Tolerant Foods produces single-ingredient legume-based pasta (chickpea, lentil, etc.) as a high-protein, gluten-free alternative. Comparable to Equii's high-protein pasta in product format and target consumer.
Broad incumbents
- King Arthur Baking Company: King Arthur is a 200+ year old flour and baking brand with national retail and foodservice distribution, including a high-protein product line. Broad incumbent competitor with overlapping category, brand recognition, and distribution scale far exceeding Equii's.
- Bob's Red Mill: Bob's Red Mill is a specialty flour and grain company with a broad portfolio of flours, mixes, and grain-based products sold nationally. Comparable in flour-milling category positioning and as a potential acquirer or competitor to Equii's protein flour ingredient.
- Quorn: Quorn produces mycoprotein-based meat alternatives using a proprietary fermentation process, sold globally. Adjacent comparator as a fermentation-based protein food company with established distribution and brand recognition.
Emerging players
- MycoTechnology: MycoTechnology uses fermentation to produce plant-based protein ingredients (ClearCut mycelium) for B2B food applications. Directly comparable to Equii's fermentation-based protein ingredient technology and B2B ingredient business model.
- Perfect Day: Perfect Day uses precision fermentation to produce animal-identical dairy proteins as a B2B ingredient. Comparable to Equii as a fermentation-based protein ingredient company pursuing B2B licensing, though in dairy proteins rather than grain-based proteins.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Equii social profiles
Digital presenceEquii financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Equii leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Equii funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Equii 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 Equii
What does Equii do?
Equii develops and sells high-protein grain-based food products—bread, pasta (Rigatoni and Mac & Cheese), and baking mixes—made from a proprietary fermented yeast protein flour. The company also licenses its fermentation technology and supplies its protein flour ingredient to food service operators and branded food companies for use in their own grain-based products.
Is Equii a public or private company?
Equii is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Equii founded?
Equii was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Equii based?
Equii is headquartered in San Ramon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Equii make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing & Technology Partnerships and B2B Ingredients Supply.
Who are Equii's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Simple Mills, Banza, Goodles, Hero Bread and Tolerant Foods. Broad incumbents are King Arthur Baking Company, Bob's Red Mill and Quorn. Emerging players are MycoTechnology and Perfect Day.
Does Equii have an API?
No public API is recorded for Equii.
What industry is Equii in?
Equii's product category is High-Protein Nutritional Food Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKABAD, Flour & Milling Products Manufacturing (wheat, corn, rice, specialty flours), with a secondary code of AFAKABAF, Grain-Based Mixes & Doughs Manufacturing (pancake/waffle mixes, baking mixes, dough bases). Its NAICS code is 311824 and its SIC code is 2040.