Daisy Lab
Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based precision fermentation startup developing microbial processes to produce dairy-identical whey proteins without cows, targeting food and beverage manufacturers as future B2B ingredient customers. The company is pre-revenue and at the R&D and prototype stage.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Daisy Lab does
Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based precision fermentation startup developing microbial processes to produce dairy-identical whey proteins without cows. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Auckland, operating with a lean team of 1–10 employees. Its core technology trains microorganisms to produce specific dairy proteins using an upstream process analogous to beer, wine, or pharmaceutical fermentation, combined with downstream processing methods drawn from traditional dairy manufacturing. The intended product is a functional, nutritionally equivalent whey protein ingredient that delivers the same properties as conventional dairy whey while eliminating the environmental burden of livestock farming.
The company is co-founded by Irina Miller (CEO), Nikki Freed, PhD (CSO), and Emily McIsaac (COO), positioning scientific leadership at the center of the venture. To date, Daisy Lab has raised approximately NZD 1.5 million (~USD 933,600) in an oversubscribed March 2023 seed round co-led by Icehouse Ventures, Outset Ventures, and The Values Trust, with participation from Even Capital, K1W1, and Sustainable Food Ventures. It has additionally secured multiple Callaghan Innovation R&D grants across 2022, 2023, and 2024, reflecting sustained government-backed R&D support within New Zealand's established dairy and food manufacturing ecosystem.
Daisy Lab is pre-revenue and remains at the R&D and prototype stage, with no commercial products launched and no distribution channels established. The intended go-to-market targets food and beverage manufacturers seeking sustainable animal-free dairy protein ingredients, supported by earned media coverage in publications such as Green Queen, Stuff, vegconomist, and The Spinoff. Pricing, contract structures, and revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed.
Daisy Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Daisy Lab
- Website
- https://daisylab.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based precision fermentation startup developing microbial processes to produce dairy-identical whey proteins without cows, targeting food and beverage manufacturers as future B2B ingredient customers. The company is pre-revenue and at the R&D and prototype stage.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Daisy Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Protein Ingredients
- NAICS
- Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Precision-Fermentation Dairy Analogues Processing (Animal-Free Whey/Casein Products) (AFAHAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dairy Starter Cultures (Cheese, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) (AFAJAJAA)
Keywords
Where Daisy Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Markets served
Daisy Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Marketing channels2 records
Daisy Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Daisy Lab develops precision fermentation food technology to produce dairy-identical whey proteins without cows, using microorganisms trained to excrete specific dairy proteins. The company operates at the R&D and prototype stage, scaling microbial whey protein production for eventual supply to food and beverage manufacturers as a sustainable, animal-free dairy protein ingredient.
Product overview
Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based startup developing precision fermentation food technology to produce dairy-identical proteins without requiring cows. The company operates at the R&D stage, focusing on microbial whey protein production using precision fermentation — an approach similar to upstream beer/wine production combined with traditional dairy processing downstream. The company has not yet launched commercial products but is working to scale production and develop prototypes for sustainable dairy alternatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Daisy Lab
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Daisy Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Daisy Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Daisy Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Perfect Day: US-based pioneer producing animal-free whey protein via precision fermentation. Direct competitor to Daisy Lab in producing bio-identical dairy proteins using microbial hosts.
- Remilk: Israel-based company producing animal-free dairy proteins (including whey and casein) via precision fermentation. Closely comparable in product category and target B2B food customers.
- Better Dairy: UK-based company using precision fermentation to produce animal-free dairy ingredients including casein and whey. Comparable in technology platform and B2B ingredient commercialization strategy.
- Imagindairy: Israel-based startup producing animal-free dairy proteins using precision fermentation. Directly comparable in technology platform and focus on bio-identical dairy ingredients.
- Formo: Germany-based company using precision fermentation to produce animal-free cheese proteins. Comparable in technology, alternative-dairy positioning, and European regulatory pathway.
- Miruku: New Zealand-based startup developing dairy proteins via precision fermentation. Closest geographic and category peer to Daisy Lab, competing for similar NZ/Australia B2B customers and talent.
- Eden Brew: Australia-based precision fermentation company producing animal-free dairy proteins. Direct peer operating in the same APAC alternative-protein category.
Emerging players
- Nourish Ingredients: Australia-based fermentation startup producing specialty fats and proteins. Comparable in fermentation-based alt-protein technology and APAC ecosystem, but with a focus on fats rather than dairy proteins.
- All G Foods: Australian alt-protein company with precision fermentation capabilities. Comparable in alternative-dairy focus and APAC geography, with broader product scope across multiple protein categories.
- Cauldron: Australia-based precision fermentation platform producing alternative proteins. Comparable in underlying technology stack and APAC region, though broader than dairy alone.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Daisy Lab social profiles
Digital presenceDaisy Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Daisy Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Daisy Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Daisy Lab 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 Daisy Lab
What does Daisy Lab do?
Daisy Lab develops precision fermentation food technology to produce dairy-identical whey proteins without cows, using microorganisms trained to excrete specific dairy proteins. The company operates at the R&D and prototype stage, scaling microbial whey protein production for eventual supply to food and beverage manufacturers as a sustainable, animal-free dairy protein ingredient.
Is Daisy Lab a public or private company?
Daisy Lab is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Daisy Lab founded?
Daisy Lab was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Daisy Lab based?
Daisy Lab is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
Who are Daisy Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Perfect Day, Remilk, Better Dairy, Imagindairy, Formo, Miruku and Eden Brew. Emerging players are Nourish Ingredients, All G Foods and Cauldron.
Does Daisy Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Daisy Lab.
What industry is Daisy Lab in?
Daisy Lab's product category is Alternative Protein Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAHAJAJ, Precision-Fermentation Dairy Analogues Processing (Animal-Free Whey/Casein Products), with a secondary code of AFAJAJAA, Dairy Starter Cultures (Cheese, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir). Its NAICS code is 3115 and its SIC code is 2020.