Phytolon
Phytolon is an Israeli biotechnology company that uses precision fermentation of engineered baker's yeast to produce FDA-approved natural food colorants (Beetroot Red and pipeline yellows), selling directly to CPG manufacturers and via DSM Firmenich distribution in the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersYoqne`am `illit, Israel
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Phytolon does
Phytolon is an Israeli biotechnology company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Yokne'am Illit, with a US commercial office in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. The company produces natural food colors via patented precision fermentation of genetically engineered baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expressing betalain biosynthesis genes. From only two core betalain pigments — betacyanin and betaxanthin — Phytolon's platform delivers a full spectrum of purple, pink, red, orange, and yellow shades with claimed pH stability (2.7–7.5) and heat stability (e.g., 170°C for 40 minutes in baking). Its first commercial product, Beetroot Red (CAP 4C0326), received US FDA approval in February 2026 as a fermentation-produced color additive exempt from batch certification and replacing beetroot powder (21 CFR 73.40); a second product, Prickly Pear Yellow, is positioned as 'Coming Soon'.
The company's commercial model is B2B, selling fermentation-derived color ingredients to consumer packaged goods manufacturers. Phytolon operates a multi-path go-to-market combining direct enterprise agreements with global food companies (Rich Products Corporation, Grupo Bimbo), an exclusive US distribution partnership with DSM Firmenich, and a Colorcon-led expansion into nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. US supply is fulfilled via subcontractor production lines in Europe while the company transitions from development to full commercial operations. Pricing is quote-based, undisclosed publicly, and supported by a self-serve online sample-order funnel that qualifies prospects for sales follow-up. The company has raised $43.6 million cumulatively across seed, Series A, strategic (Rich Products Ventures, 2024), bridge (Colorcon Ventures, 2025), and Series B rounds, and operates with 11–50 employees. Production efficiency has been materially improved through a multi-year collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks, which delivered yeast strains with nearly 3x higher production efficiency at the second milestone in April 2025.
Phytolon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Phytolon
- Legal name
- Phytolon Ltd.
- Website
- https://phytolon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Phytolon is an Israeli biotechnology company that uses precision fermentation of engineered baker's yeast to produce FDA-approved natural food colorants (Beetroot Red and pipeline yellows), selling directly to CPG manufacturers and via DSM Firmenich distribution in the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Phytolon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Food Color Ingredients
- NAICS
- Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (31134)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free) (AFAJAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Application-Specific Color Solutions (Beverage, Dairy, Confectionery, Bakery, Savory, Pet Food) (AFAJAEAH), Natural Colorants (Plant/Algae/Microbial Extracts: Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Spirulina) (AFAJAEAA)
Keywords
Where Phytolon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yoqne`am `illit
- HQ country
- Israel
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices2 records
Markets served
Phytolon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- B2B ingredient sales to CPGs: Direct sale of natural food color ingredients (Beetroot Red, Prickly Pear Yellow) to consumer packaged goods manufacturers in the food and beverage market. Commercial distribution focuses initially on beetroot-derived red approved by the FDA, with use across bakery, snacks, dairy, confectionery, and plant-based meat categories.
- Distribution via DSM Firmenich channel: Channel sales through a distribution partnership with DSM Firmenich targeting food manufacturers replacing synthetic dyes; Phytolon produces and supplies colorants while DSM Firmenich handles downstream distribution and customer reach.
- Strategic co-development / design-win supply agreements: Non-exclusive commercial partnerships with global food companies (e.g., Rich Products) under which Phytolon supplies natural colorants for integration into the partner's product portfolio (bakery, icings, toppings, desserts), creating anchor reference accounts and recurring ingredient pull-through.
- Adjacent-market expansion (nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals): Stated expansion of the colorant portfolio beyond food into nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications, leveraging Colorcon's formulation and regulatory expertise through Colorcon Ventures investment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based B2B ingredient pricing with free qualification samples |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Phytolon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Phytolon produces and sells natural food color ingredients — betalain pigments bio-manufactured via precision fermentation of genetically engineered baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Its commercial product Beetroot Red (FDA-approved, CAP 4C0326) is sold in water-soluble powder, oil-dispersible powder, and liquid forms for bakery, snacks, dairy, confectionery, plant-based meat, ice cream, and beverage applications, with Prickly Pear Yellow positioned as the next product in the portfolio.
Product overview
Phytolon is a single-platform biotechnology company with a portfolio of natural food color products all built on the same core technology: precision fermentation of genetically engineered baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to produce betalain pigments. The platform yields two core pigments that cover the purple, pink, red, orange, and yellow spectrum. Its first commercialized product, Beetroot Red, is FDA-approved and sold in water-soluble powder, oil-dispersible powder, and liquid forms targeting bakery, snacks, dairy, confectionery, plant-based meat, ice cream, and beverage applications. The second product, Prickly Pear Yellow, is positioned as a coming-soon water-soluble yellow/orange alternative. Together, Beetroot Red and Prickly Pear Yellow represent the launched and pipeline products within Phytolon's unified betalain-based natural color portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Beetroot Red: FDA-approved natural red food color produced via baker's yeast precision fermentation; available in water-soluble powder, oil-dispersible powder, and liquid forms for bakery, snacks, dairy, and confectionery applications.
- Prickly Pear Yellow
Products and services
- Beetroot Red FDA-approved natural red food color produced via precision fermentation of genetically engineered baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expressing betalain biosynthesis genes. Sold in water-soluble powder, oil-dispersible powder, and liquid forms; stable across pH 2.7–7.5 and through 170 °C baking; flavorless and odorless; vegan, kosher, halal, GMO-free, gluten-free. Targeted at food manufacturers in bakery, snacks, dairy, confectionery, plant-based meat, and ice cream applications as a clean-label replacement for petroleum-based synthetic reds.
- Prickly Pear Yellow Pre-commercial natural yellow food color produced via precision fermentation of baker's yeast, derived from prickly pear cactus fruit. Marketed as a clean-label, water-soluble alternative to artificial yellows with strong expression across yellow-orange-brown shades and a lower carbon footprint versus agriculture-based yellow/orange pigments. Targeted at food manufacturers in challenging applications such as bakery, confectionery, beverages, and dairy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 90% vs. agriculture-based benchmark natural colors
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Phytolon
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Phytolon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Phytolon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major commercial partner, flagship r&d partner, flagship distribution partner, public-sector program partner and technology origin partner.
- Grupo Bimbomajor commercial partnerNamed among Phytolon's existing strategic partnerships with global food companies in coverage of the FDA approval of Beetroot Red (February 2026), positioning Grupo Bimbo as a large anchor customer for the US commercial launch.
- Rich Products Ventures (RPV) / Rich Products Corporationmajor commercial partnerStrategic investment plus non-exclusive commercial agreement under which Rich Products Corporation will explore integrating Phytolon's clean-label natural color solutions into its portfolio of bakery, dessert, icing, and topping products as a replacement for synthetic food dyes. RPV is the corporate venture arm of Rich Products.
- Ginkgo Bioworksflagship r&d partnerMulti-year, multi-milestone collaboration to develop engineered yeast strains that produce Phytolon's betalain pigments more efficiently. In April 2025 the pair hit the second full-project milestone, delivering strains with nearly 3× higher production efficiency; Ginkgo received additional equity in Phytolon as part of the milestone payment structure.
- DSM Firmenichflagship distribution partnerUS distribution partnership targeting food manufacturers replacing synthetic dyes, established alongside the Rich Products Ventures investment. Through the integrated relationship (via parent DSM Venturing), DSM Firmenich provides downstream reach for Phytolon's Beetroot Red and future products.
- Israel Innovation Authoritypublic-sector program partnerGovernment funding and program partner; featured by the Israel Innovation Authority in April 2023 as part of its showcase of Israeli innovation.
- Yeda R&D (Weizmann Institute technology transfer)technology origin partnerListed as a Phytolon partner on the company's About page; Yeda is the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, where Phytolon's foundational betalain production technology originated.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Phytolon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GNT Group: Dutch natural food color specialist behind the EXBERRY brand of fruit- and vegetable-derived colors (e.g., beetroot, spirulina, carrot). GNT filed a parallel FDA color additive petition via Exponent alongside Phytolon's 2026 ruling, making it the closest direct competitor in the natural color space.
Broad incumbents
- International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Global ingredients giant with a substantial health & biosciences division (formed from DuPont N&B) that develops fermentation-derived food ingredients including colors. Competes with Phytolon for CPG reformulation wins and has deep regulatory and channel resources.
- dsm-firmenich: Global ingredients giant that leads Phytolon's distribution and was the Series A lead via DSM Venturing. dsm-firmenich also sells its own portfolio of natural and synthetic food colors, positioning it as a direct incumbent in the same end-markets (bakery, dairy, beverage) and a partner/competitor hybrid.
- Givaudan: World's largest flavors and fragrances house with a sizable natural color business (acquired DDW, Naturex) and active investments in fermentation-derived ingredients. Competes with Phytolon for CPG color reformulation mandates and has been publicly exploring precision-fermentation colorants.
- Sensient Technologies: Specialty ingredients company with a large natural and synthetic food color portfolio. A traditional incumbent whose natural-color line (Sensient Natural Ingredients) directly competes with Phytolon in bakery, confectionery, and beverage applications.
- Oterra: Leading natural food color specialist (acquired by Chr. Hansen / now part of Novonesis). Oterra's betalain-based plant-extracted colors directly compete with Phytolon's fermentation-derived portfolio, and it is one of the most comparable natural-color incumbents globally.
Emerging players
- Conagen: U.S.-based precision fermentation company developing specialty ingredients including natural colors and flavors via engineered microbes. Closest emerging-stage peer to Phytolon in the fermentation-derived natural color category.
- Amyris: Fermentation-derived ingredients company (now restructured under different ownership) that pioneered sugar-cane-derived squalane and other fermentation products. Comparable as a precision-fermentation B2B ingredient platform targeting CPG customers, even though its color exposure is limited.
- Ginkgo Bioworks: Synthetic biology platform and active Phytolon collaboration partner (Ginkgo holds equity in Phytolon). Ginkgo also develops its own biosynthetic ingredients for food, cosmetics, and pharma, making it both a co-developer and a potential long-term competitor in fermentation-derived colors.
- Eden Brew: Australian precision-fermentation startup developing dairy proteins (casein). Comparable as a fermentation-derived B2B ingredient company targeting CPGs, with an emerging-stage technology platform profile similar to Phytolon.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Phytolon social profiles
Digital presencePhytolon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Phytolon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Phytolon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Phytolon subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Phytolon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Phytolon 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 Phytolon
What does Phytolon do?
Phytolon produces and sells natural food color ingredients — betalain pigments bio-manufactured via precision fermentation of genetically engineered baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Its commercial product Beetroot Red (FDA-approved, CAP 4C0326) is sold in water-soluble powder, oil-dispersible powder, and liquid forms for bakery, snacks, dairy, confectionery, plant-based meat, ice cream, and beverage applications, with Prickly Pear Yellow positioned as the next product in the portfolio.
Is Phytolon a public or private company?
Phytolon is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Phytolon founded?
Phytolon was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Phytolon based?
Phytolon is headquartered in Yoqne`am `illit, Israel, in the Middle East region.
How does Phytolon make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. B2B ingredient sales to CPGs are the primary driver. The others are distribution via DSM Firmenich channel, strategic co-development / design-win supply agreements and adjacent-market expansion (nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals).
Who are Phytolon's main competitors?
GNT Group is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), dsm-firmenich, Givaudan, Sensient Technologies and Oterra. Emerging players are Conagen, Amyris, Ginkgo Bioworks and Eden Brew.
Does Phytolon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Phytolon.
What industry is Phytolon in?
Phytolon's product category is Natural Food Color Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJAEAI, Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free), with a secondary code of AFAJAEAH, Application-Specific Color Solutions (Beverage, Dairy, Confectionery, Bakery, Savory, Pet Food). Its NAICS code is 31134 and its SIC code is 2090.